International aid arrives for flood-hit Pakistam
PAKISTAN: The first consignment of assistance from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to cope with the aftermath of torrential rains that triggered massive floods in Pakistan arrived at the Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi yesterday, said Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb.
The Minister said the consignment for victims of the catastrophic floods is being sent at the request of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif who during his recent visit to the sheikhdom appealed to its leadership for assistance.
The goods included disaster tents, edibles, medicines and other items. A further 15 aircraft carrying relief items are expected to arrive from UAE in the coming days, Aurangzeb added. Her statement came days after the Prime Minister asked for international help in battling deadly flood damage in the nation.
Meanwhile, over 5.7 million people were affected in Pakistan as the country faces the worst rain-induced flooding in its history, according to The News International.
The rescue, relief and rehabilitation in the country continue. According to The News International, the catastrophe has killed around 719,558 livestock. The Pakistani Government has made appeals for donations to cope with the devastating impact of floods on both national and international levels. The flooding has also affected agricultural land and infrastructure in Pakistan leaving 949,858 homes damaged across provinces.
At least 1,033 people have died while 1,527 have been injured since June 14 from the rains and floods, Geo News reported citing National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Cumulative data from June 14 from across Pakistan showed that 3,451.5 km of road has been damaged, and 149 bridges have collapsed, 170 shops were destroyed.
A total of 949,858 homes have been partially or fully destroyed. Out of the total, 662,446 homes have been partially damaged, and 287,412 have been fully destroyed. At least 110 districts of Pakistan have been hit by the floods with 72 of those districts declaring calamity hit, according to Geo News.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s flooded southern Sindh Province braced yesterday for a fresh deluge from swollen rivers in the north as the death toll from this year’s monsoon topped 1,000.
The mighty Indus River that courses through Pakistan’s second-most populous region is fed by dozens of mountain tributaries to the north, but many have burst their banks following record rains and glacier melt. Officials warned torrents of water are expected to reach Sindh in the next few days, adding misery to millions already affected by the floods.
Meanwhile, Amid massive surge in the prices of various vegetables and fruits in Lahore and other parts of Punjab province due to devastating floods, the Pakistan government may import tomato and onion from India, according to the market dealers here.
“On Sunday, per kilogram of tomato and onion were available in Lahore’s markets at around Rs500 and Rs400 respectively. However, in Sunday markets both commodities were available at Rs 100 per kg less than that of those available in regular markets,” Jawaad Rizvi, a wholesale dealer of Lahore market, told PTI.
He said that in the coming days the prices of commodities will increase further as the supply of vegetables from Balochistan, Sindh and south Punjab has been badly affected because of floods.
– PAKISTAN TODAY, ANI, INDIA TODAY, THE MALAY MAIL