109 killed in flash floods across Pakistan: NDMA

46 people injured; Army requested to remain on standby as floods gain pace in Sindh

At least 109 people have been killed and 46 others have been injured as floods continue to ravage different parts of the country, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Saturday.

Giving a breakdown of damage caused by the floods, the NDMA said that as many as 50 people have been killed so far in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa -- where Chitral is the worst hit region. As many as 14 people have died from hill torrents and rain related incidents in Balochistan.

Flooding in Punjab has left at least 21 dead where 298,185 people have been affected. As many as 550 houses have been damaged while 397 villages have been affected.

Rain related incidents have seen at least 19 people die and five others injured in Azad and Jammu Kashmir. As many as 189 houses have been damaged while seven villages have been affected.

Read: Natural calamity: Recurring floods in Chitral make relief work difficult

In Gilgit-Baltistan, where a numberfive in Gilgit-Baltistan as a result of heavy flooding. On Saturday, the NDMA also issued a fresh glacial lake overflow flood (GLOF) warning. Floods have affected as many as 136,000 people in the region with 653 houses damaged and 175 villages affected.

Around 2,705 houses were also damaged, leaving almost 7,000 people affected.

So far, 348,903 people have been evacuated by civil organistions and the army. Of these, 132,825 were evacuated in Punjab, and 163,157 in Sindh where 263 and 203 relief camps have been established respectively.

Sindh floods

Meanwhile, the Sindh government has requested the army to remain on standby following reports of floods gaining strength in the province.

Chairing a meeting on Saturday, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah directed Chief Secretary Mohammad Siddique Memon to write a letter to the army regarding the issue.

“Medium flooding had been predicted, but unremitting rains water gushing from Koh Suleman Mountains has deteriorated the situation and there is high flooding at Guddu Barrage, where more than 0.7 million cusec water is passing through,” an official said during the meeting, which was attended by representatives of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

"River Indus at Sukkur is also likely to attain high to very high flood level ranging between 650,000 cusecs to 750,000 cusecs during the period from noon on August 2, 2015 to midnight of August 4, 2015."

Read: No risk of floods, says Khuhro

The meeting was also informed that over 250,000 people (264,854) and 1,255 villages have been affected because of floods across Sindh. The chief minister asked PDMA officials to make necessary arrangement for flood victims by providing them food, tent and other necessary items.

“Rs5 million should be released to each deputy commissioner without any delay so that these arrangements can be made,” he said.

Director General PDMA Salam Shah said more than 200 tents have been provided to victims, while medical camps have also been set up.

“The chief minister also visited Guddu Barrage to assess the arrangements."

A CM House spokesperson said the chief minister would hold a meeting with irrigation officials at Guddu and visit Tori Bund, Sukkur Barrage and Shenk Bund.

Zardari for expediting relief efforts as floods rage on

With a very high floods passing through Guddu and Sukkur, co-chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday directed the Sindh minister for irrigation Nisar Khuhro to utilise all possible resources to ensure the safety of masses affected by floods.

Observing that any breach of the embankments could jeapordise lives and property, the former president urged close monitoring of these as possibility of more floods looms.

“Consolidated and collective efforts are needed to provide maximum relief to the people hit by torrential rains and floods and evacuating them to safer places,” he said.

Earlier, Khuhro had apprised Zardari about the overall floods situation in Sindh and subsequent rise in the water level in rivers and barrages.

The minister assured the former president that he was personally monitoring conditions of the embankments.

Pakistan Navy evacuates over 2,000 people in Sindh

Meanwhile, rescue teams of Pakistan Navy claimed on Friday to have rescued 2,275 more flood affected people during 'Operation Madad’, carried out in different parts of Sindh.

According to the statement released by the public relations department of the navy, emergency response teams of Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency carried out evacuation in Goth Abdul Rehman Unar, jappar sheikh, Gul hasan mangnejo, Baradi Khan jatoi, Manglo jalbani, Noor ilahi, Haji Allah bakhsh, Jumma Khan Junejo, Dost Muhammad Mangnejo, Taj Muhammad, Mehrab Khan Jatoi, Umeed Ali Channa, Ali Bakhsh Janwari and others of district Khairpur in the last 24 hours.

Teams at Badin, Ghotki, Sukkur, Pano Aqil, Larkana, Ranipur and Gambat are also conducting flood relief operation and providing necessary facilities to the local residents.

Read: ‘Do more’: Govt responded poorly to floods: Siraj

The navy also said that 10 tons of relief goods for the flood victims of DG Khan dispatched earlier from Islamabad was distributed in Ghazi Ghat. Relief goods are being collected at PN Camps established at Ormara, Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, the statement read.

Flood Victims in Ghazi Ghat area of D G Khan are provided with the relief goods by Pakistan Navy. PHOTO: PAK NAVY

 

Pakistan Navy Distributing relief goods among flood Victims in Ghazi Ghat area of Muzaffar Garh & D G Khan. PHOTO: PAK NAVY

Moreover, Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMA) authorities on Saturday informed that due to continues torrential rains in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, water levels in River Chitral, Panjkora, Swat and Kabul is increasing.

Read: More casualties: Flash floods claims five lives

Meanwhile, PDMA authorities have urged masses in low laying areas to remain careful as widespread rains with scattered heavy falls are expected in mountainous areas of the province from Saturday to Monday.

Flood warning for Nullah Leh

The NDMA has issued a flood warning for Nullah Leh in Rawalpindi with heavy rains expected over the next 36 hours.