Sindh witnessing worst floods in history, says CM Murad Ali Shah

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said on Friday that the province is witnessing its worst floods in history, and destruction is far more disastrous than the one witnessed in 2010 or 2012.

In a press conference, he lauded the government departments and private entities for their donation, relief and rescue efforts.

“So far, 470 deaths and 8,314 injuries have been reported, however, millions of people have been displaced,” he said. “Over 3 million mud-houses exist in Sindh and not a single such home is standing in those areas that have been flooded.”

Citing figures, he added that on average, 1,100 mm of rain took place in the province. He asked the media to show true picture of Sindh and “not spread panic.”

Talking about relief efforts of the provincial government, he added that millions of mosquito nets and rations have been supplied.

BISP proceeds

Meanwhile, flood victims in Sindh are reportedly struggling to receive the Rs25,000 grant announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif through the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), reported Aaj News on Friday.

In Tando Muhammad Khan, some affectees are also reportedly facing a deduction of Rs2,000-3,000 in their amounts while CNICs of many others have been blocked. People whose CNICs are blocked are now supposed to go to a different centre to get them unblocked.

The development comes at a time when floods continue to wreak havoc in Pakistan as government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and private entities conduct rescue and relief measures while new areas of the country got submerged in water.

Crop fields witnessed partial or complete destruction whereas, the people, displaced by the disaster, are at risk of contracting water-borne diseases.

The death toll from floods soared to over 1,200 while the count of injured people is approaching 5,000.

Few highways in Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, including M-8 and N-95, remain blocked due to flooding, land sliding or damaged infrastructure.

The number of affectees in Sindh hit 14.6 million, followed by 9.2 million in Balochistan, 4.8 million in Punjab and 4.4 million in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

A large number of countries and international institutions have announced financial aid for Pakistan. United Nations, Thailand, Asian Development Bank, Turkey, US, UK, European Union and Middle Eastern nations announced sizeable fundings.

Locally, the federal and provincial governments also announced financial aid to the affected families.

“We are on high alert as water arriving downstream from northern flooding is expected to enter the province over the next few days,” Sindh spokesperson Murtaza Wahab said earlier this week.

Wahab said a flow of some 600,000 cubic feet per second was expected to swell the Indus, testing its flood defence.

Pakistan received nearly 190% more rain than the 30-year average in the quarter from June to August, totalling 390.7mm (15.38 inches).

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said that around 480,030 people have been displaced and are being looked after in camps but even those not forced from their homes face peril.

“More than 3 million children are in need of humanitarian assistance and at increased risk of waterborne diseases, drowning and malnutrition due to the most severe flooding in Pakistan’s recent history,” the UN children’s agency warned.

The rains that began in June have unleashed the worst flooding in more than a decade, washing away swathes of vital crops and damaging or destroying more than a million homes.

Authorities and charities are struggling to accelerate aid delivery to more than 33 million people affected, a challenging task in areas cut off because roads and bridges have been washed away.

In the south and west, dry land is limited, with displaced people crammed onto elevated highways and railroad tracks to escape the flooded plains.