NEW DELHI, Aug 26: The Shehbaz Sharif government has declared a “national emergency” in Pakistan in view of the widespread devastation caused by heavy rains and flash floods that inundated several parts of the country.
Media reports said rainfall and consequent floods had so far killed 937 people, including 343 children, and left at least 30 million homeless. Sindh has seen the highest number of deaths at 306 since June 14 with 23 of its districts declared calamity-hit.
The abnormal increase in rainfall has triggered flash floods across the country, particularly in the southern part of Pakistan. Pakistan has urged the international community to help with relief efforts as it struggles to cope with the aftermath of torrential rains that have triggered massive floods since last month.
Visuals on Twitter by a senior journalist showed cars parked on streets completely submerged in water. Another video showed a prominent hotel collapsing in the floods.
Another clip showed a large house being washed away by floodwaters in Bahrain, Swat. Some media reports said in the last 24 hours 150km of roads had been damaged across the country and over 82,000 homes have been partially or fully damaged. Since mid-June, when the monsoon began, over 3,000km of road, 130 bridges and about five lakh homes damaged.
(Manas Dasgupta)
