Web Desk (LTN NEWS): Senator Sherry Rehman, who is in charge of climate change, said on Sunday that the number of people affected by floods in the country could go up from 33 million if the floods keep getting worse.
“Right now, the government is in charge of the humanitarian work, with help from the United Nations and other humanitarian groups. There have been 1,033 deaths, and more than 1,500 people have been hurt. At Nowshera, the flood level of the Kabul River is still very high because the water has gone over 300,000 cusecs. Because of this, some people have not been allowed to go back to their homes, she said in a statement.
“The water level in the Indus River at Taunsa, Sukkur, and Chashma is high because it passed 500,000 cusecs, while the water level in Guddu and Kotri is medium,” she said.
Read more: Health minister of Sindh looks over relief efforts
The minister also said that rains had messed up important communication systems, which are now being fixed by the National Highways Authority (NHA) and others.
The most rain fell in Kalam, with 41.5mm, and the most rain fell in Bagrot, in Gilgit-Baltistan, with 21mm. The northern parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and Balochistan are likely to get more rain.
Since it has stopped raining in some places, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and the Pakistan Army have sent out more rescue helicopters. The Pakistan Navy has also been sent to places where its boats would not normally go.
The minister said that the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) and other ministries were working around the clock with about 35 multilateral and bilateral donors to assess needs and fill gaps in relief efforts. The Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) has started giving the poorest people relief payments of Rs25,000 totaling Rs35 billion.
She also said that immediate cash assistance had been given to 218,112 people.
Ex-gratia payments of Rs1 million are being made to the next of kin of those who have died, and Rs250,000 are being given to those who have been hurt.
Sherry said that a sum of Rs500,000 was being given for each house that was completely destroyed and Rs250,000 for each that was only partially destroyed.
But there are still not enough hygiene kits and waterproof tents on the ground for the families who are stuck.
Because the ground is too wet, many are staying in empty schools.
“Just as we had to deal with constant rain in the south of Pakistan in over 72 disaster-stricken districts, reports of floods in Gilgit-Baltistan have increased the number of disaster-stricken districts.” The minister said.
The minister said it was too bad that the opposition leaders and members were busy scoring points instead of helping people in need during a national emergency.
“Social media activists are telling local and international donors not to help Pakistan’s vulnerable people and the more than 33 million people who have been affected by the earthquake. This is just one example of how the PTI’s poisonous rhetoric is hurting Pakistan’s relief efforts. At a time when the country is reeling from shocks it has never seen before, this is a very careless thing to do,” she said.
