News
Monday, August 26, 2013
Heavy rains, floods affect 1.5 million; 178 killed* Official says rains have wounded 855 people, affected 5,615 villages and destroyed 20,312 houses all over the country
ISLAMABAD: Floods and heavy monsoon rains have now killed 178 people and affected 1.5 million across Pakistan in the last three weeks, disaster management officials said on Sunday in updated figures.
“At least 178 people have died and 1,503,492 others affected by recent monsoon rains and floods across Pakistan,” a senior National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) official told AFP.
He said that the rains had wounded 855 people, affected 5,615 villages and destroyed 20,312 houses all over the country.
On Wednesday the figures stood at nearly one million people affected and 139 dead.
Nearly 350 relief camps have been set up to help people, mostly in Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, the official said.
Further heavy monsoon rains are expected in the country next month, but the NDMA is fully prepared, he said.
Meanwhile, a number of villages were flooded after a breach in Manora-Khoh embankment on Sutlej River near in Jalalpur Pirwala.
According to sources, the flood forced thousands of people to vacate their homes. The floodwater also entered villages of Jhanmbu, Beatwala, Deepal, Jhandamiani and adjacent areas.
Similarly, floodwater from the western side of Jalalpur city was heading to Qasba Khanbela and Durabpur and it would then reach Jalalpur Pirwala.
Assistant Commissioner Kashif Dogar said machinery was being used to prevent floodwater from entering Jalalpur Pirwala.
At least 300 villages were also submerged due to a flood in Katcha areas of Khairpur district, and standing crop on thousands of acres was destroyed.
The Khairpur deputy commissioner said that thousands of flood-hit people have been shifted to safer places. At least 25 villages in Dadu have also been flooded.
In Okara, 60 villages were submerged while 75 villages were inundated in Vehari due to a flood in Sutlej River.
The Punjab Disaster Management Authority has sent ration and tents to the flood-hit areas.
The flood-hit people are being shifted to safer places in the suburbs of Burewala tehsil and Vehari. In Uch Sharif, Bakhtiari embankment has been breached due to a flood in Chenab River. agencies
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk