Flood victims in worst-affected Sindh province get more relief
Two more US military planes loaded with tonnes of aid for Pakistanis affected by flooding from deadly monsoon rain landed on Sunday in southern Sindh province, one of the worst-affected regions in the impoverished country.
Saif Ullah, spokesman for the country’s Civil Aviation Authority, said each plane was loaded with about 35 tonnes of relief aid that would be distributed in the province by the World Food Programme (WFP). The aircrat landed at Sukkur Airport in Sindh and Ullah said the US operation thatbeganonthursdaywouldcontinueuntilsept.16.
Pakistan has suffered under extremely heavy monsoon rain that started early this year — in mid-june. Multiple officials and experts have blamed the rain and resulting floodwaters on climate change.
UN Secretary-general Antonio Guterres last week called on the world to stop “sleepwalking” through the dangerous environmental crisis. He has called repeatedly on the international community to send massive amounts of aid to Pakistan.
Ullah said on Sunday that two more flights
So far, UN agencies and several countries have sent multiple planeloads of aid, and Pakistani authorities say the UAE has been one of the most generous contributors
bringing relief goods from the United Arab Emirates landed at Karachi airport. So far, UN agencies and several countries have sent multiple planeloads of aid, and authorities say the UAE has been one of the most generous contributors.
Near 1,400 people have been killed, 13,000 injured and millions let homeless by the heavy flooding since mid-june. The waters also destroyed road and communications infrastructure.
In the worst-hit Sindh province, 621 people, including 270 children, were killed and 8,400 people let injured.
Miles of coton and sugarcane crops, banana orchards and vegetable fields could be seen submerged in floodwaters. Thousands of mud and brick homes caved in under the deluge leaving people homeless and sheltering in tents alongside damaged roads.
According to the latest report from authorities, the unprecedented monsoon rains and flood destroyed more than 1.5 million houses, 63 bridges, 2,688 kilometers of roads and near half a million animals drowned in the flood water across the Sindh province, leaving over 30 million homeless.
Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has laid stress on building dams and drainage system to avert floods.
The army chief, during his visit to Dadu (Sindh) and its surrounding areas, reviewed the ongoing rescue and relief work following the floods triggered by abnormal rain in rural Sindh, the Inter-services Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement.
Addressing the current flooding situation in the district, Bajwa lauded the local authorities for their efforts in ensuring the safety of the population affected by the floods.
He also assessed the current flooding situation in the district and lauded the local authorities for their efforts in ensuring the safety of the flood-stricken population.
The ISPR shared that the army chief also spent time with victims residing in relief and medical camps in the areas, following which he directed to provide 5,000 tents to flood-affected people in the district. Bajwa also interacted with troops who had been busy in rescue and relief activities.
He told media men that he has visited almost all areas affected due to floods across Pakistan, including Othal, Naseerabad, Rajanpur, Swat, Larkana, Shahdadkot, and Khairpur.
“Manchhar and Hamal lakes are 100 kms apart but have now merged,” the army chief said, emphasising on the gravity of floods in the district where the government is still engaged in relief and rescue efforts.
“Rescue work in most areas has been almost completed. We do send our helicopters and boats to rescue people from areas where emergencies due to snake bites, injuries or illnesses occur. However, rescue and relief work is going on here.”
He added that Dadu city’s population was around 475,000, but it has currently increased to around 1 million and there was an immense water pressure in the surrounding area.
The army chief lauded the efforts of the district commissioner who worked alongside the army to create embankments to save the city. “In Dadu, we’re still in the first phase of rescuing people and providing relief to them,” he said.