200,000 people affected by floods in interior Sindh: NDMA

NDMA made this statem­ent during briefi­ng to Prime Minist­er Gilani on his visit to affect­ed areas.

BADIN: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)  on Monday said over 200,000 people have been affected in flood-hit areas in interior Sindh.

The NDMA made this statement during a briefing to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on his visit to the affected areas.

The authority says a hundred villages have been flooded in Badin after a breach in a major salinity drain widened further to 200 feet.

Villages and crops have been flooded in Pangrio while a grid station has also been inundated.

A large number of people have been marooned at dry spots in Badin, Tando Mohammad Khan and Mirpur Khas after being surrounded by flood waters.

Express 24/7 correspondent Ahmed Jung reported that locals have gathered to help displaced villagers, but no camps have been set up yet.

The NDMA told the prime minister that thousands of people have been rescued by the Pakistan Army and Navy.

President Asif Zardari has sought a report from provincial authorities on flood relief work.

Flood relief

During his visit, Gilani directed the NDMA to provide tents, food, medicines and all other facilities to the displaced at the relief camps set up at different locations. He said 15,000 tents would be provided in the first phase to provide shelter to the people.

Gilani also directed NADRA to provide Watan cards for the displaced people so as to help them meet their financial needs. He asked Ms Farzana Raja, Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) also to provide relief to the people under the programme.

The Prime Minister who also distributed relief goods amongst the flood-affected people said the government, working under the vision of Benazir Bhutto, would ensure swift relief for the masses.

Gilani said he had seen the damages caused by the heavy rains and assured that the Federal Government was taking necessary measures to ensure that basic facilities are provided and their sufferings are mitigated.

He said the flood-affected areas had been declared disaster hit areas and the Zarai Taraqiati Bank had also been asked to provide loans to the farming community.

The Prime Minister said the damage-need assessment would be conducted in the area and the government would compensate the people on the damages to their property, livestock and farms.

Flood threat in Kasur

The District administration in Kasur issued a warning of a low-level flood after the water level in the Sutlej river rose following heavy rains in the adjoining areas.

Sources say flash floods of up to 50,000-70,000 cusecs will pass through Kasur.

DCO Kasur Irshad Hussain Shah issued directions to vacate the low lying areas of Sutlej. Relief camps have been set up in Kasur, Bakarkay and Kanganpur. The Army and the Rangers have also been contacted to deal with the situation.

The MET office predicted another spell of heavy rain with thunder showers in most areas of Kashmir and Upper Punjab in the next 24 hours.

Scattered rain showers are also expected in few parts of Punjab, Lower Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa, Balochistan and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Moreover, rain continues to pour in most parts of punjab including Lahore, Okara, Sargodha and Faisalabad.