Unusually heavy floods in Pakistan kill 549, thousands of homes damaged
Pakistan is seeing its heaviest rainfall in 30 years, and the consequences have been deadly. At least 549 people in the country have been killed by floods so far, and more than 46,200 houses have been damaged, the National Disaster Management Authority said on Friday. In the past month, there have been 133% more rain than the average for the past three decades.
Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan, a poorer province, was among those hit hardest by the floods. The province has had a whopping 305% more rain than the annual average, according to the NDMA.
There are now food shortages in every district of Balochistan, and more than 700 kilometres of roads have been washed away. The government is trying desperately to relocate people and provide food and medicine, on limited funds.
Balochistan’s Chief Minister Abdul Qudoos Bezenjo says the province’s losses are “massive”, and that it needs “huge assistance” from the government. Pakistan’s PM Shehbaz Sharif has visited the areas plundered by floods and says the government is doing everything it can. He said…
“We’re doing our best to provide for extensive relief and rehabilitation of flood victims.”
Countries across Asia have been hit by the monsoon season, although not as hard as Pakistan. Time will tell how soon Pakistan, and particularly Balochistan, can stabilise.
SOURCE: Reuters
