The death toll from the devastating floods soared to 1,162 on Wednesday as flood waters which came from the north began to breach banks an...
The death toll from the devastating floods soared to 1,162 on Wednesday as flood waters which came from the north began to breach banks and affected more than a million people in Sindh’s Dadu district.
According to the daily report by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), more than 3,500 people have been injured so far since June 14.
Around 1,941 people were injured while 36 were killed during the past 24 hours.
Dadu Deputy Commissioner Syed Murtaza Ali told Dawn.com that 1.2 million people had been affected and displaced in the district.
The water level is rising in the Main Nara Valley (MNV) drain in Khairpur Nathan Shah and Johi talukas which are located at a distance of 8km from Dadu city, he said.
It is feared if the water level continues to rise in the MNV drain, Dadu city will be severely impacted, he said.
MPA Pir Mujeebul Haq, who was elected from Dadu, told Dawn.com that the city was facing the threat of flood, adding that machinery had been employed to prevent flood waters from entering the city.
PM Shehbaz visits KP
Separately, PM Shehbaz embarked on a visit to the flood-affected districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to Radio Pakistan, he will visit Kalam and Kanju in Swat district and Patan village in Lower Kohistan.
Speaking to the media in Swat’s Kanju area, the prime minister assured the nation that the army and local administration were working day and night to help the affected areas.
“Millions have been displaced and hundreds have died,” he said, adding that the government was providing monetary assistance to the victims. He noted that while the financial assistance could not make up for the loss of life, the damages incurred were “colossal”.
“We have announced Rs10 billion for Balochistan and Rs 15bn for Sindh. I am announcing a Rs10bn grant for KP. The NDMA and provincial government will collaborate on how to utilise this amount,” he said, vowing to keep visiting flood-affected areas until the last family was settled.
He added that several countries had offered financial assistance during this difficult time, such as Turkey, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. “I assured them the money will be spent in a transparent manner.” On the other hand, PML-N’s Maryam Nawaz is scheduled to visit flood-affected areas in and around Rajanpur and South Punjab.
Standing crops on 11,000 acres destroyed in Charsadda
The floods have affected over 200,000 people and destroyed standing crops on over 11,000 acres and 160 houses in Charsadda district.
According to the initial report of the district administration, five people died and over 180 were injured in flood-related incidents in Charsadda. Likewise, more than 120 water channels were destroyed and over 800 livestock were swept away by the gushing water.
The floods also affected Munda Headworks besides inflicting huge losses to gardens and livestock sectors. To provide relief to flood victims, large medical camps in 17 different places have been established and relief activities accelerated.
More aid pours in
Meanwhile, the United States announced $30 million in humanitarian aid to Pakistan.
“We stand with Pakistan during this difficult time, and the US is proud to be the single largest humanitarian donor to Pakistan,” Vedant Patel, principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department, told a daily news briefing on Tuesday.
“We are deeply saddened by the devastating loss of life and livelihoods throughout Pakistan,” he added.
USAID (United States Agency for International Development) partners will use this fund to prioritise urgently needed support for food, nutrition, multi-purpose cash, safe water, improved sanitation and hygiene, and shelter assistance, he said.
PM Shehbaz thanked the US government for the financial assistance.
“The tragedy is massive with millions of people gravely affected and we need our friends around the globe to help the suffering humanity,” he said.
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