Image of the Day
Marooned!
¼ of a million more people forced to flee homes
The monsoon floods in the Indus River Basin that are now moving south, have so far inundated about 22 percent of Pakistan, displacing more than 20 million people, killing thousands [official death toll stands at 1,600,] destroying some 1.2m homes, damaging at least 3.2m hectares of farmland (14% of Pakistan’s cultivated land), and putting millions at risk from waterborne diseases, as well as food and clean water shortages, reports say.
“The magnitude of this crisis is reaching levels that are even beyond our initial fears” ~ UN spokesperson
Fresh Flooding in Southern Pakistan. A freeze frame from a BBC UK video report. Image may be subject to copyright.
“The number of those affected and those in need of assistance from us are bound to keep rising.”
“The floods seem determined to outrun our efforts. About one month from the onset of the floods, we don’t know when we will see their end, as the disaster is still unfolding,” he added.
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