Death toll from Pakistan floods reaches 1,208, damages mount to $10 billion

Floods triggered by Pakistan's record rains in three decades accompanied by the melting of glaciers have killed over 1,200 people and rendered millions of others without food and shelter, according to the latest national data on Friday.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said its situation report that 416 children and 244 women were among those killed while another 6,082 people were injured.

Floods have inundated a third of the country with the southern province of Sindh and the southwestern region of Balochistan being the worst hit. Dadu district of Sindh was the latest to face the fury of nature as the water was rising due to a surge in the flow of water down the River Indus.

A total of 1,208 people have been killed by flash floods triggered by record monsoon rains across much of Pakistan, the NDMA said in a statement.

Officials said that 10,000 to 15,000 cusecs of water were being discharged from Manchhar Lake into River Indus on Friday morning while 70,000 to 80,000 cusecs of water was flowing into the lake from the Main Nara Valley drain and FP Bund, a flood protective dyke.

According to the Federal Flood Commission, the River Indus was in high flood in Guddu-Sukkur reaches and in medium flood at Taunsa and Kotri. The high flood level would continue until Sep 6.

The Indus was also in a high flood in the Dadu district, submerging vast areas as the mighty river waded its way down to the Arabian Sea, leaving a trail of disaster on its way.

The recent deluges are said to have submerged a third of the country.

Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman said that the monster floods have washed away 45 per cent of the country's cropland, mainly in Sindh and caused around USD 10 billion in damages on the whole.

She said that floods have affected 110 districts across the country, including 34 in Balochistan, 33 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and 16 in Sindh.

Top officials of the country were visiting flood-hit areas, meeting people and pledging support. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region to see the damages.

I am saddened at the loss of lives here due to floods. The devastation is countrywide and there is no example of it. Wherever you visit, destruction is everywhere, the PM said.

After visiting the Ghizer district, he announced to the provision of Rs 100 million for the rehabilitation and resettlement of flood victims. He also said that Rs 1 million would be distributed as compensation to the families of the deceased.

The GB Disaster Management Authority said that so far 22 people have died in the region since July 1, while 53 were left injured, while 800 houses, 53 bridges and 500 irrigation channels have been destroyed.

Apart from providing relief goods, the army was trying to airlift tourists who were stranded due to rains in the scenic northern region of the country. It said that 200 helicopter sorties had been carried out to evacuate stranded people and also transport rations and medicines.

During [the] last 24 hours, 1,991 stranded individuals have been evacuated and 162.6 tons of relief items have been delivered to flood-affected people, the army said.

So far, More than 50,000 individuals have been shifted to safer locations from calamity-hit areas, the statement added.

Separately, the army said that British High Commissioner Dr Christian Turner met Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and offered UK's support to the people of Pakistan.

The dignitary appreciated Pakistan's efforts for regional stability and also pledged to play his role in enhancing cooperation with Pakistan at all levels, according to the Army.

Pakistan was also getting support from the international community and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had a telephone call with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and discussed the devastation caused by floods.

"Had telephone call with @FaisalbinFarhan, briefed HH on the magnitude of devastation caused by floods & torrential monsoon rains in Pakistan," Bilawal tweeted.

A high-level Turkish delegation, sent by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, also reached Pakistan to express solidarity and extend support after the devastating floods in the country.

The delegation will also undertake an aerial visit of the flood-affected areas of the country.