SHAFAQNA PAKISTAN (Shia News Agency)
Sindh and Punjab are expected to face severe flooding in the coming days, the Pakistan Meteorological Department warned on Sunday. So far heavy monsoon rains and flash floods have killed 128 people across the country.
A press release issued by the Meteorological Department said that water levels in the Indus River at Sukkur and Guddu Barrage are constantly increasing, and consequently, there will be severe floods on September 13 and 14 in both provinces.
The department has called on government officials to take necessary rescue measures.
The annual monsoon season has struck hard across the region, leaving people to wade through rushing water in towns and villages across Pakistan
Ahmad Kamal, a spokesman for Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, said at least 69 people have died in the eastern Punjab province since Thursday. He said another 48 people died in the Pakistan-controlled part of Kashmir and 11 died in northern Gilgit Baltistan province.
Kamal said officials believe most were killed when the roofs of their homes collapsed. He said the deluge has injured 261 people across the country.
“We are dispatching tents and other relief items for those who have been affected because of rains and floods,” he said.
Kamal said the army was using helicopters and boats to evacuate people from affected areas and had set up nearly 50 relief camps to shelter them. He added that more than 4,000 homes across the country collapsed partially or completely, rendering thousands homeless.
At least 300 federal rescue workers have joined thousands of state police and soldiers to rescue tens of thousands of people stranded across the region.
“The government will leave no stone unturned to help the people in distress,” Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said in a statement.
Dozens of bridges have been damaged or washed away, and authorities fear the death toll may rise in the region as more flooding and rain is forecast for the coming days.
Army to the rescue
At least 500 people were moved to safe locations from flood-affected areas of Bajwat, an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) statement said.
According to ISPR, 300 boats and five helicopters were being used to carry out relief operations, whereas army personnel were on high alert in areas of Multan and Dera Ismail Khan, which may come across the flood hit-line.
Pakistan Army’s relief operations in flood-affected areas of Sialkot, Gujranwala, Mandi Bahauddin, and Qadirabad were also in progress.
Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif on Sunday said a state of emergency has been declared to tackle the floods that followed heavy monsoon rains in several areas.
Up till now nearly 70 people were killed and 250 others injured in flood and heavy rain incidents across Punjab and several major national highways, have also been cut off, as relief work went underway.
Flash floods have inundated villages, prompting authorities to send troops to evacuate residents and assist in the emergency. Most of the deaths were caused by roof collapses, landslides and electric shocks.
Reports from different parts of the country have indicated huge losses to property, cattle and crops, especially in Sialkot and Gujranwala regions, due to swelling of nullahs and exceptionally high flooding in Chenab and Jhelum rivers.
According to AP, a government official said that 110 people were killed across the country in heavy monsoon downpours and flooding.
Authorities fear that the death toll may rise as more torrential rains and flooding is predicted in the upcoming days.
A number of cities received over 130mm of rain.
Pakistan regularly suffers from flooding during the monsoon season. In 2010, flash floods killed 1,700 people. In 2013, 178 people were killed and around 1.5 million affected by flooding.
pakistan.shafaqna.com
