The total number of causalities in Sindh has increased to 169 while the Meteorological Department of Pakistan is still forecasting more rains/thunder storm shower in the province that may lead to more chaos and disturbance in the region. Well-placed sources told Business Recorder here on Thursday that owing to breaches in Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD), the water has started overflowing.
"Now the management is confused how to manage the overflowing canals. To pump water out of the canals has become a major problem in the area," sources disclosed. Sources said that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is in the favour of utilising its own resources. So, it was not allowing the NGOs to start working in the flood-affected areas of Sindh. "At first, we want to utilise our own resources and then, if possible, we would let the NGOs to work with NDMA and other governmental departments in Lower Sindh.
"We have provided tents and food bags in all the 22 districts of the province for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and it is wrong to say that the flood victims are not being looked after by the government", sources maintained. According to the MET Office during the last 24 hours, 168 mm rain in Mirpur Khas, Tando Jan Muhammad 166, Nawabshah 138, Kotli 90, Dadu 71, Sahiwal 66, Quetta 50, Lahore 38, Multan 30, Chorr 28, Mithi 25mm has been recorded.
They said that the total number of causalities as a result of drowning in flood waters, falling roofs, snakebites and water-borne diseases including gastro-enteritis, have reached 169 while the recent floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains have so far destroyed nearly 500,000 mud houses.
Sindh has lost 80 percent of standing crops including major kharif crops like sugar cane, cotton and rice while almost 0.4 million acres of agriculture land while 100,000 cattle-heads perished or missing. About 14 million people have been affected since heavy rains started in the first week of August and 300,000 people were displaced by the floods only in Sindh province. According to the sources, water has reached the danger level at the Sukkur Barrage that might result in more chaos in the province.
According to the MET office, within the next 48 hours more rains with thunder storm are expected in Sindh and Punjab. Sources said that the upper Sindh is already under water as the Indus River banks are recorded to be at risk while about two million people have already left the area. On the other hand, the monsoon rains have damaged 50,000 acres of cotton crop area in Punjab and 30,000-32,000 acres of area under the rice crop while 1000-2000 acres of sugar cane crop.
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