Disease outbreaks continue to be a worry in Sindh for flood victims, where six more people died of gastroenteritis and other illnesses in the past 24 hours.
The provincial health department reports that two people died from gastroenteritis, two from pyrexia of unknown origin (PUO) and one from myocardial infarction and cardiopulmonary arrest.
What’s new today
- Flood-hit Sindh receives 78,000 patients
- 10 flood-related deaths reported in last 24 hours; 1,569 deaths since June
- The affected areas may take months to drain
- Dadu district faces nine-foot water
- Citizen Shehbaz encourages flood relief donations
- 2M packets of food for women and children to be collected, Ahsan Iqbal says
- Aid from Russia, Greece for Pakistan; $7m from Japan
As of Wednesday, 324 people had died in the province from various diseases.
Condition of Flood victims in Sindh
Thousands have been displaced by floodwaters in Sindh, where flood water from the north converged with hill torrents from Balochistan, causing a health crisis.
Displaced families have complained that disease-ridden water is forcing them to drink and cook.
“The water can make us sick, but we need it to survive,” says flood victim Ghulam Rasool.
In the last 24 hours, 14,619 diarrheal disease cases, 15,227 skin-related illnesses, 9,201 suspected malaria cases, 665 confirmed malaria cases and 11 dengue cases have been treated by the health department.
Among the flood-hit population, Dr Kareem Merani of Dadu Civil Hospital reported malaria and gastroenteritis outbreaks.
So far, the facility’s out-patient department sees approximately 5,000 patients a day suffering from these diseases.
Reuters earlier reported that malaria and diarrhoea are spreading fast in Sehwan city, according to Mosinuddin Siddique. The team is overwhelmed.
Mercy Corps’ country director in Pakistan, Farah Naureen, says aid is reaching submerged areas slowly.
Clean drinking water should be prioritized, she said in a statement late Monday. The most important needs of displaced populations are health and nutrition.
Data from the health department shows that over 2.7 million internally displaced persons were treated for water-borne diseases since July 1.
Since mid-June, 1,569 flood-related deaths have been reported countrywide, up 10 from 24 hours ago.
Memon: Dewatering may take months
Nearly 33 million people have been affected by flooding caused by record monsoon rains and glacial melt in Pakistan.
Water levels have begun to recede in Sindh, despite vast swathes of land still inundated.
Sharjeel Memon, Sindh Information Minister, says it might take months.
He said it might take months to drain the water from Kotri Barrage, while teams from the irrigation department are also working on other areas.
Taking machines to low-lying areas is difficult, but the government is trying its best to de-water them.” he said.
In Dadu district, Deputy Commissioner Murtaza Ali Shah told Dawn.com water levels had dropped further.
In Mehar, Johi, and Khairpur Nathan Shah, water levels have fallen about three feet, but floodwaters were around nine feet high in most villages and some areas of Khairpur Nathan Shah.
The Main Nara Valley Drain in Dadu district is standing up to nine feet of water after receding by around three feet.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Flood Forecasting Division website showed a low-level flood at Kotri along the River Indus.
Visitors from the European Union visited villages in Nowshera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and posted photos.
Sindh Flood victims
He also said that the provincial government provides daily meals to millions of Sindh Flood victims
Currently, 688,712 families are receiving ration bags. Water has also been provided to flood-affected people,” he said.
Memon said the provincial government had set a wheat support price of Rs4,000. People should buy wheat locally rather than import it since it costs the government Rs9,000.
It was insistent that wheat was a non-profitable crop, adding that the government prevented a food crisis.
Climate change requires collective action
Shehbaz Sharif also said in meetings with world leaders he had called for collective action to deal with climate change.
In a video message, the prime minister said he was informed about the shortage during a virtual meeting on the flood situation.
The meeting told me baby food is scarce. According to the prime minister, such efforts could enable a satisfactory arrangement for providing baby food to flood-hit people, NDMA, PDMA, or military.
His meetings in New York earlier that day had highlighted the economic hardships the country had been facing due to flood devastations.
Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal announced on Tuesday that he would launch a campaign to collect two million packets of food for flood-affected women and children.
Students will collaborate on the campaign, he said in a tweet.
A third of the country supports two thirds of its population. In spite of floods, Pakistan’s courage and determination appear stronger than the calamity,” he said.
First aid consignment from Russia
Radio Pakistan reports Pakistan received its first aid consignment from Russia today.
The flight landed in Karachi with flood relief items, tents, and water-cleaning devices.The flight landed in Karachi with flood relief items, tents, and water-cleaning devices.
NDMA and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs received the consignment along with the Russian Consul General in Karachi Fedorov Andrey.
Rasool Bux Chandio and Fedorov Andrey, Russian Consul General in Karachi, received the consignment
Honorary Council of Greece in Pakistan Ayaz Mohammad Lakhani received the consignment. Greece’s relief assistance is welcomed with warmth and gratitude, according to Foreign Office spokeswoman Asim Iftikhar.
Japan announced later in the day that it will extend $7 million in emergency grant aid to Pakistan.
For those severely affected by the flood disaster in different parts of Pakistan, multiple international organizations can provide humanitarian assistance activities such as food, shelter, non-food items, medical care, and water and sanitation through the Emergency Grand Aid.
Ambassador Wada Mitsuhiro reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to Pakistan, saying that the country considered it critical to stand by the people.
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