UN says 10 million people without shelter

Countrywide floods have left 10 million people without shelter, the United Nations said on Tuesday, as floodwaters continued to threaten Dadu city and Johi.

Maurizio Giuliano, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs spokesperson, said the floods in Pakistan had become “one of the worst humanitarian disasters in UN history, in terms of number of people that we have to assist and also the area covered.”

Advancing floodwaters flowing out of Hamal Lake broke FP Bund before entering Manchhar Lake near Goth Allah Bachaio in taluqa Johi. The 50-foot wide breach has caused increased pressure on MNV Drain that threatens to inundate Dadu city. “Floodwaters are increasing pressure on Johi embankment, while the raging waters are just five kilometres away from Dadu city,” said Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo.

Earlier, 11 union councils of the taluqa Dadu were declared sensitive and alert notices were issued to their residents.

In Dadu city, 360 prisoners of District Jail were shifted to prisons of other districts, including Hyderabad. Similarly records of the police, revenue department, Nadra and other government departments are being shifted to other cities.

Meanwhile, more than 10 more villages including Haji Allah Yar Jamali, Jan Muhammad Jamali, Dost Muhammad Jamali, Allah Bachaio Jamali and Mian Kundi in Dadu city are inundated by floodwaters, with their residents stranded.

The city of Johi is experiencing a shortage of food supplies as land links with other places were suspended for the fifth consecutive day.

Landslides

At least four people and some cattle were killed as landslides hit a village in Skardu late Monday, officials said. Four houses were also buried in the landslide that struck Barah Brog, a village of Khaplu at midnight, a resident of Skardu told The Express Tribune by telephone. “The bodies have been retrieved from the rubble as volunteers and their relatives have cleared the debris,” he said.

He added that people were asleep when the landslide occurred. Officials said that heavy boulders and mud also destroyed standing crops and orchards in the village besides washing away some livestock. However, the number of dead cattle killed could not be ascertained. The floods and landslides triggered by torrential rains last month has left over 60 people dead in Skardu, besides washing away dozens of bridges, cattle and houses. (WITH ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY SHABBIR MIR AND INPUT FROM AFP)

Published in The Express Tribune, September 8^th, 2010.