Pakistan declares national emergency as deadly floods rage on
- About 33 million people have been displaced by severe flooding that was triggered by erratic monsoon rains
- At least 937 people have been killed since mid-June during a period of record rainfall, the national disaster agency said
Pakistan has declared a national emergency and called for international help as the death toll from months of flooding continues to rise.
The flooding triggered by erratic monsoon rains had displaced around 33 million people, mostly in the impoverished south and southwest of the country, a statement by the prime minister’s office said.
At least 937 people have been killed since mid-June during a period of record rainfall, the national disaster agency said.
More rains were expected in the regions of Sindh and Balochistan, with million of people thought to be waiting for help in inaccessible areas.
Swollen rivers were destroying houses, bridges and roads, chief meteorologist Sardar Sarfraz said.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered army troops to assist the civil administration, put hospitals on high alert and called for the international community and donor agencies for help, his office said.
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Over 800 people killed in Pakistan floods caused by monsoon rains
Already battered by flash floods, Pakistan’s Balochistan province lost communication with rest of the country after overnight rains as the South Asian nation struggles to cope with the humanitarian disaster, officials said on Friday.
The destruction of infrastructure and breakdown in communication links adds to the difficulties faced by the authorities in rescue and relief efforts in the region.
The air, road and rail networks in Balochistan are already suspended, cutting it off from rest of the country.
“Due to torrential rains and flash floods in Balochistan optical fibre cable, voice and data services have been impacted in Quetta and rest of the main cities of the province,” Pakistan Telecom Authority (PTA) said on Twitter.
Efforts are being made to resolve this unprecedented situation, it added.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he had met ambassadors and other senior diplomats in Islamabad “as part of efforts to mobilise all resources”.
A major railway bridge washed away between Kolpur and Mach in Bolan Pass, cutting off Quetta, the capital of southwestern Balochistan, from the rest of country for indefinite period, officials said.
All four highways linking Balochistan with other provinces were blocked because of damaged bridges and landslides.
Since mid-June, when the monsoon began, over 3,000 kilometres of road, 130 bridges and thousands of homes have been damaged.
Additional reporting by Reuters
