Cyclone renders 250,000 people homeless

The rescuers struggled on Wednesday to reach 250,000 people left homeless, and in some cases clinging to rooftops and trees, by a cyclone that lashed the coast and killed 21 people. Cyclone Yemyin roared in from the Arabian Sea on Tuesday, days after thunderstorms left around 230 people dead in Karachi, and nearly 150 people were killed by rains in neighbouring India.
The UN said the destruction in South Asia - plus floods in - showed that the world must be better prepared to cope with the impact of climate change. "The cyclone and the rain have left around 250,000 people homeless," Khuda Bakhsh Baloch, the relief commissioner of badly-hit Balochistan told AFP, adding that dozens of villages were under water. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz ordered the immediate airlift of blankets, food, tents and medicines because several main highways had been badly damaged, an official statement said.
Telephone links were down to most of the affected region, but residents who could be contacted in Kech, one of the Balochistan's worst affected districts, said they had seen no sign of aid-bearing helicopters. "The situation is grave here. People, including women and children, have been clinging on to trees and rooftops since late Tuesday," Jahangir Aslam, from the town of Turbat, told AFP.
He said water in the area's main dam had reached dangerous levels. "We are hungry, we are thirsty, the authorities say they are sending helicopters but we have not seen any," said Hamal Baloch, also from Kech.
Authorities said they were trying to get supplies to more than 1,300 car and bus passengers who were stranded when swollen rivers washed away bridges on two key roads.
Continuing rain was hampering aid efforts, said Balochistan government spokesman Raziq Bugti, adding: "People need more assistance. We have relief helicopters ready, but the weather is not permitting." Bugti said 12 people had been confirmed killed so far in Balochistan, adding: "I think the casualties may be high."
In Karachi, one person was electrocuted by power lines brought down by the cyclone overnight, hospital officials said. Officials say another eight have been killed in Sindh. Rescuers were also trying to evacuate thousands of people from fishing villages on islands off the Sindh coast, local fishermen's association leader Siraj Khoro said. Dozens of fishermen are still missing, he added.
Met department chief Qamar-uz-Zaman Chaudhry said the weather was improving after the cyclone moved north-west into Iran overnight. Cyclone Yemyin is the second major storm of the north Indian Ocean cyclone season after Cyclone Gonu hit Oman, Iran and south-western Pakistan in early June, killing more than 60 people.
UN disaster prevention official Salvano Briceno said in Geneva that the recent extreme weather in Pakistan and elsewhere was only a taste of what could happen in future through global warming. "We cannot wait to be taken by surprise, we know what is going to happen and we can prepare for it," he added.
The 80 percent cultivated lands, pan shades, poultry farms, and more than 9000 homes and cottages have been destroyed in Taluka Ketibandar and Ghorabari of Thatta district in recent cyclone and heavy rainfall. A large number of boats were damaged. Besides deaths of fishermen, boats along with fishermen are missing.
The Keenjhar Fishermen`s Welfare Society Thatta has assessed the losses in affected areas of taluka Keti Bandar and Ghorabari. According to report, four people were killed as boat drowned at Keti Bandar. Their names are Bahadur son of Hashim Dablo, Mustafa son of Mamu Dablo, Musa son of Ali and Ibrahim son of Musa Karli Baloch.
Twenty persons were injured at different villages, some of them are admitted in hospitals. Their names are as follows: Khadija daughter of Ghulam Dablo; Kazo wife of Taalo Dablo; Anwar son of Saleh Dablo; Asghar son of Hamzo Dablo; Hasan son of Musa Gulri; Ali Muhammad son of Babu Gulri; Saleh son of Moulvi Dino Samoo; Muhammad Mailwani, Abdullah son of Babu, Warayo Ritto; Muhammad Lalani; Nawaz son of Siddiq; Siddiq son of Jumman and others.
Four fishing boats of village Ahmed Khan taluka Ghorabari are missing with 13 fishermen on board. Names of some missing fishermen include Allah Dino son of Bachoo, Nawaz son of Siddiq, Siddiq son of Juman and Atta Mohammed son of Siddiq.
Women and children in these areas are badly suffering and the immediate provision of food, drinkable water, and provision of shelters is very necessary. Some most affected villages of Taluka Shah Bander are village Yousuf Charejo, Usman Balani, Hassan Balani, Miyan Gharo, village Bachayo Parheri, Miyan Aatherki village Katiar and village Moosa Dhandheil.
The KFWS activists are engaged in the relief activities in these areas. The KFWS chairman, Muhammad Adam Gandro appealed to all the government and non-governmental organisations and agencies to provide relief and shelters to the suffering people.
80 PEOPLE RESCUED Pakistan Navy in its press release said the Navy continued its wide scale search and rescue operation on second day on Wednesday shifting focus of operation from open sea to Balochistan's coastal strip and adjacent areas.
Prior to starting the mission, Pakistan Navy's aircraft carried out a complete surveillance of Balochistan's coastal strip and indicated about positions of people stranded at various places, on the basis of which the rescue operation started. Pakistan Navy's two helicopters rescued 80 persons from Pasni.
Two helicopters helped 350 persons by providing them food at Agore, some 180 kilometers from Karachi. These people were stranded because of the damaged Coastal Highway. Operation was in progress for moving them to a safe locality.
Pakistan Navy's Marine force, which is deployed at the coastal areas of Balochistan, also sent its marines on different places and has started rescue operation.
The marines have provided 150 women and children with food at Pansi airport. They also rescued persons from Bozi Pass, Basol Canal, Khori Canal and Shadi Khor and took them to safe places. They also rescued 84 fishing boats and took them to Ormara Naval Base safely because of which these boats avoided any big damage.