Pakistan floods: One year on - in pictures

Last year’s floods were the most severe Pakistan has experienced, inundating an area the size of England and displacing 11 million people from their homes. In terms of the number of people affected, the floods were more devastating than the Kashmir earthquake, the Haiti earthquake, the Indian Ocean tsunami and Hurricane Katrina combined Photograph: Islamic Relief

The Pakistani military deployed more than 20,000 troops to rescue people from the flood waters and spearhead the initial relief effort, working with a wide range of local and international aid agencies. However, one year on, NGOs have criticised the international community for its failure to provide enough resources to recover from the devastation. NGOs have reportedly encountered difficulties sending staff to areas in need of assistance because of restrictions placed on travel and visas blamed on the fallout from the death of Osama bin Laden and on the strained relationship between Pakistan and the US Photograph: Islamic Relief

In the emergency phase of the humanitarian response to the floods, the emphasis was on food, water, shelter, healthcare and sanitation. Islamic Relief operated mobile health clinics in the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, and provided food packs for 74,000 people and hygiene kits for 46,000 people Photograph: Islamic Relief

Many traditional mud houses such as these were washed away by the floods, which damaged or destroyed 1.7m homes Photograph: Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief has been involved in rebuilding homes that will better equip villagers to withstand future monsoon flooding. The NGO is in the process of rebuilding 95 villages and smaller settlements. In each village, mud houses are being replaced with flood-resistant brick-walled homes on concrete foundations, with steel reinforcements to stop roofs from collapsing in the event of an earthquake Photograph: Islamic Relief

The house design being used was developed in consultation with the communities affected. Families are being trained to build their own new homes, and are paid for their role in the reconstruction effort through a food-for-work programme. This ensures that villagers pick up useful skills such as carpentry and stone masonry. Village committees decide whose houses should be rebuilt first, with priority given to the elderly, people with disabilities and widows Photograph: Islamic Relief

The NGO also helped restore health clinics, such as this busy community dispensary at Nisatta, in the Charsadda district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The floods damaged or destroyed 544 hospitals and health facilities across Pakistan Photograph: Islamic Relief

The flood-ravaged village school at Ajab Bagh, in the Nowshera district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has also been restored. The high attendance rate at the school is a positive indicator of economic recovery in the village, as school attendance tends to fall off when parents’ livelihoods are lost. Despite the reconstruction efforts, Islamic Relief says at least 8 million people still need basic healthcare, food, shelter or schooling, while the UN warns that up to 6 million could be affected by more floods during the coming monsoon season Photograph: Islamic Relief