Flood waters reach Pakistan’s south

More than 175,000 people have fled Pakistan’s southern city of Thatta, leaving it virtually empty, as flood waters threatened to submerge the city’s outskirts.

A fresh wave of floodwaters broke through a third protective barrier around the city on Saturday, as people headed to nearby towns and cities, as well as the high ground of an ancient graveyard.
Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from Thatta, said there is an emergency situation developing there.
“This is the new front line in the ongoing flood crisis. The waters are rising higher and the city is at risk,” she said.
Our correspondent said that a number of villagers had blocked the main highway in protest against the government, because they have not received any food or assistance.

‘Incapable government’

Lakano Barani, a resident from Thatta, blamed officials for not taking the necessary steps to prevent the third levee from breaking.
“Nothing was done and now it is too late. If they [the government] had taken action, then the historic city of Thatta could have been saved,” he told Al Jazeera.
“The government has not told the people where to go or what to do. It is the most incapable government I have ever seen.”
The United Nations, the Pakistani army and a host of local and international relief groups have been rushing aid workers, medicine, food and water to the affected regions, but are unable to reach many people.
More than eight million people are in need of emergency assistance across the country.

Disease and hunger

The UN said that aid workers were becoming increasingly worried about disease and hunger, especially among children in areas where even before the disaster, acute malnutrition was high.
“We fear the deadly synergy of waterborne diseases, including diarrhoea, dehydration and malnutrition,” Karen Allen, a senior Unicef official, said.
Martin Mogwanja, the UN humanitarian co-ordinator, said the international response to the disaster must be more assertive.
“If nothing is done, an estimated 72,000 children, currently affected by severe malnutrition in the flood-affected areas, are at high risk of death,” he said.
Meanwhile, the aid effort is gathering pace. Almost $700 million has now been donated to the flood appeal, both directly and through the UN.
The United States is taking the lead – contributing more than $100 million to the relief effort, while Saudi Arabia has handed over $34 million and the UK has donated more than $20 million.

Source: Al Jazeera and agencies