Massive floods across Pakistan | Thousands Killed

[sparklingway]

Zardari donates 2.5 million pounds​

LONDON: President Asif Ali Zardari has donated a sum of 2.5 million pounds towards the Prime Minister’s Flood Relief Fund, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Britain Wajid Shamsul Hassan announced on Saturday at the launch of fund raising appeal at Pakistani High Commission.

Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, launched the campaign and vehemently defended his father’s visit to Europe despite the flooding disaster affecting up to 15 million people at home in Pakistan.

Opening a donation point at the Pakistani High Commission in London, the 21-year-old insisted his father was raising much-needed funds.

“He’s doing the best he can and what he thinks is best to help the people of Pakistan,” the Oxford University history graduate said.

“His personal presence in Pakistan would not be able to raise this much money,” he said, adding that multi-million dollar donations had been made by France, Britain and Abu Dhabi.

The Gulf emirate had “also promised to come and help in rehabilitation after the floods have receded, after the media have gone, and after people are not paying attention,” he said.

“If he thought he could be more useful in Pakistan, I’m sure he would be there,” Bilawal added.

Zardari has been criticised in Pakistan and by some in the Pakistani expatriate community for carrying on his visit, despite the devastating floods which have killed at least 1,600 people.

Bilawal became co-chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) alongside his father after the assassination of his mother, Benazir Bhutto, in 2007.

When asked about his plans to go into politics, he said he was focused on completing his education, “as my mother wished”. He added that he intended to continue his academic and political education and was considering studying law.

Meanwhile, Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has said that the president is continuously monitoring the flood situation in the country and giving necessary directives for the relief efforts.

Talking to a private TV channel, he said that all relief departments, including the army, navy and air force had been fully mobilised for relief efforts.

Kaira added that the prime minister along with the cabinet members are fully involved to make sure that all national and international efforts are streamlined and flood victims got relief expediently.

He said that the president’s visit was necessary to put across Pakistan’s point of view in the backdrop of a controversial statement by British Prime Minister David Cameron.

He added that the flood situation in Pakistan was discussed in detail between the two leaders and the British government committed to extend maximum support to Pakistan in this connection.

Asked why Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi is not part of the president’s delegation, Kaira said it was up to the president to decide his delegation, and added that the foreign secretary was doing a better job in the absence of the foreign minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8th, 2010.

 

[sparklingway]

2.5 million GBP = 342 million Pakistani Rupees

 

[sparklingway]

It's 2.5 million rupees as per APP and President's official website. Looks like Express Tribune messed it up. Or maybe he announced to change the currency of the donation depending on which account to donate from

.:: Welcome to Content Management System's Resource Center

http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=112143&Itemid=1

 

[GUNNER]

Britons Donate £4m To Pakistan Flood Victims

David Williams, Sky News Online

The British public has donated £4m towards helping the relief effort for the millions of flood victims in Pakistan.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) described the response to a TV appeal as "fantastic".

Some 12 million people in Pakistan are already homeless or living in cramped and squalid conditions while waiting for help.

The DEC said around 300,000 people have received emergency care, clean water, food or shelter as a result of British aid.

Chief executive Brendan Gormley said: "As always the British public have shown themselves to be extremely generous.

"The donations we have received are now having a real and immediate impact on people who have been affected by the flooding."

The DEC said, despite difficulties, the aid is getting through.

He added: "Although the situation in Pakistan is difficult with waters having washed away or severely damaged bridges, roads and railway tracks, the aid is getting through and reaching those who need it most.

"Aid agencies are already distributing life saving medical supplies, clean water and food parcels."

The UN's World Food Programme (WFP) says the Sindh and Punjab provinces, which lie along the Indus River, are now most at risk.

Pakistani disaster official Saleh Farooqui said more than 10,000 people have been evacuated from the two provinces after waters burst the river embankments.

:: Donations can be made by calling 03706 060 900 or by visiting the committee's website at dec.org.uk.

 

[ice_man]

i just GHOPE & PRAY THIS MONEY REACHES THE POOR THIS TIME UNLIKE THE MONEY AND CHARITY COLLECTED IN EARTHQUAKE 2005!

 

[AstanoshKhan]

Ufone and PTCL Contribute 53.5 million to Flood Relief Fund

By Mehwish Khan · Sunday, Aug 8, 2010

Pakistan Telecommunication Company Pakistan and its sister concern Ufone, donated Rs.53.5 million to the Prime Minister’s flood relief fund.

Mr. Walid Irshaid President PTCL and Ufone and Mr. Abdul Aziz CEO Ufone met the honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Yousuf Raza Gillani and expressed their solidarity at this time of need.

Mr Walid Irshaid, President PTCL & Ufone and Mr Abdul Aziz, CEO Ufone jointly presenting cheques to the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani for the PM’s Flood Relief Fund 2010.

The Company has and always will stand by the people of Pakistan. This effort is in response to the recent call for help from the private sector by the Prime Minister.

Mr. Walid Irshaid President PTCL and Ufone Pakistan said that this is a testing time for all in Pakistan. The natural calamities have been unimaginable and it is up to each one of us to come together in order to create a unified effort to help the people of Pakistan.

We as socially responsible organizations need to join hands and make this the fastest and most effective relief effort ever. And hoped this contribution will help in providing people relief of their grievous conditions.

 

[TechMan]

As usual some amazing pictures from Boston. Really feel sad now!
Severe flooding in Pakistan - The Big Picture - Boston.com

 

[fawwaxs]

More rains hit Pakistan as aid agencies boost relief efforts

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Heavy downpours worsened massive flooding in Pakistan on Sunday as aid agencies increased relief efforts to help the about 12 million people affected in much of the country.

The flooding, which started in the northwest, threatened places as far south as the port city of Karachi.

Peter Kessler, a spokesman, for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, called the situation "catastrophic."

"There are whole families just sitting and camping in the road median strips, people just lined along the streets anywhere they can get safely while there is a very real sense of nervousness that worse may be coming," Kessler said.

Districts in the southern province of Sindh were on high alert as more rain swelled bloated rivers and inundated drenched earth.
Video: Aid agencies hit in flood
Video: Pakistani children in danger
Video: Aid slow to flood victims

Sindh authorities have evacuated at least 150,000 people from low-lying areas, according to a statement from the United Nations on Saturday.

"The water levels are very high, and the risk of serious flooding is increasing rapidly," said Andro Shilakadze, head of the United Nations Children's Fund's office in Sindh. "We are planning for the worst-case scenario, so that we can provide emergency relief as may become necessary."

The U.N. said needs throughout the country were on par with those that arose after the 2005 earthquake affected more than 3 million people and caused widespread damage.

Pakistan's Federal Flood Commission warned Saturday that the Indus River was flooded and rising in parts of Sindh, including Sukkur, the third largest provincial province.

As many as 12 million people have been affected by the torrential rains and floods, Pakistani authorities said. About 1,600 people have died.

Pakistan's Meteorological Department said more heavy rains were in store in the next few days, threatening to deepen the worst natural disaster the nation has experienced in recent history. And the monsoon season is only halfway over.

The nation's disaster management authority estimated that 650,000 houses have been damaged or destroyed. By comparison, the earthquake of 2005 affected 3.2 million people and damaged or destroyed 611,000 homes.

Up to 500,000 people were homeless in Punjab province, the U.N. said. At least 1.4 million acres of farmland were destroyed in the province, where people rely heavily on agriculture for food.

"Pakistan has been hit by the worst flood of its history," Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said in a televised speech Friday. "As I speak, the flood is still engulfing new areas and adding to the scale of devastation."

Gilani said a true assessment of the loss to life and infrastructure can be determined only after the water recedes. He appealed to the international community and to Pakistanis living abroad to help.

As the rains continued, aid agencies scrambled to help those in need.

"The assistance that we have so far provided has alleviated suffering, but relief operations need to be massively scaled up," said Martin Mogwanja, the U.N.'s humanitarian coordinator in Pakistan.

Kessler said their warehouses were covered in more than 3 meters of water for days. Most of the aid in the warehouses, which are the size of Walmart supercenters, is damaged and destroyed.

He said they're hoping to salvage plastic sheeting quickly, and added that the tents are wet and need to be dried before use.

U.N. officials said the government is cooperating and granting visas and permits to get teams and aid into the country.

Parts of the Swat Valley remain inaccessible by road; helicopters provide the only way in or out for people, food, clean water and medicine. Bad weather hampered the flights Saturday.

Meanwhile, victims accused the government of lack of action. They criticized President Asif Ali Zardari, who was in England for talks with British Prime Minister David Cameron during the worst of the crisis.

"We elected him," a resident of the flooded town of Chachran Sharif said. "Where is he?"

U.S. emergency relief teams continued to arrive in Peshawar to help, the U.S. State Department said.

In all, the U.S. Agency for International Development has committed $35 million in aid to international organizations and nongovernmental organizations, it said.

 

[muse]

Zardari chartered a private G4 for his business trip to France and UK last week, Nawaz, he's abillionaire who pays no taxes

But there is a Shah e Mardan, a prince among men:

Musharraf donates Rs 10 million for flood affectees

ISLAMABAD: Former president General (r) Pervez Musharraf has donated Rs 10 million for the flood affectees, Chaudhry Shahbaz Hussain, All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) chief coordinator and former federal minister said on Sunday. He made these remarks while addressing a press conference. Hussain said that both the federal and provincial governments had failed to provide any relief to the flood affectees. The APML chief coordinator said that millions of people were still waiting for relief goods from the higher authorities. He informed the media that Musharraf had announced the donation following the mass devastation caused by the floods. Hussain said that amount would be given in the form of cash and relief goods. staff report

 

[fawwaxs]

No respite in sight as more rains forecast

ISLAMABAD / LAHORE: With water flows continuing to increase at Guddu and Sukkur, weather pundits have forecast an extended rainy spell, at times heavy, raising fears of aggravation of the ‘super flood’ in the Indus and flooding in Karachi, Hyderabad and other cities in 24 to 36 hours.

At the same time, water flows have started rising once again at Tarbela, Nowshera, Kalabagh and Chashma in the Indus and Kabul rivers and near Punjnad, indicating that the flood situation would persist much longer than earlier predicted.

The highest ever peak of flood moved from Skardu to Tarbela on Sunday afternoon and the Lahore-based Flood Forecasting Division expressed fears that it might cause extensive damage.

A fresh advisory issued by the Pakistan meteorological department (PMD) in the evening forecast widespread rainfall in Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir.

“Widespread, at times heavy, rainfall is expected in Sindh during the next 24-36 hours. Flooding is possible in Karachi, Hyderabad and other urban areas. Further, heavy rain may aggravate Indus river flooding in Sindh,” PMD chief Dr Qamaruz Zaman Chaudhry said.

Widespread rain and thundershowers have also been forecast for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Kohat, Peshawar, Hazara, Mardan and Malakand divisions, till Tuesday, resulting in the further flooding of the Kabul, Tochi, Gambila, Kalpani, Kurram, Swat, Chitral, Panjkora, Khiyali and Jindey rivers and nullahs in two to three days.

In Punjab, widespread rains and heavy thundershowers are expected in Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, Bahawalpur, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore and Faisalabad, raising fears of hill ******** in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur. Heavy rainfall is also expected in Azad Kashmir.

In Balochistan, scattered rain and thundershowers with isolated heavy falls are expected in Zhob, Barkhan, Jhal Magsi, Kohlu, Naseerabad, Lasbela and Sibi, which may cause flooding.

The Met Office said that river flows that had declined from 523,000 cusecs on Friday to 436,000 cusecs on Sunday were likely to again attain a ‘high’ flood level of up to 650,000 cusecs.

The flow of the Indus at Kalabagh has increased from 422,000 cusecs to 559,000 cusecs and may reach a ‘very high’ flood level of 700,000 cusecs in 24 hours. Flows at Chashma may also rise to 700,000 cusecs from the current 529,000.

The Federal Flood Commission said the Indus was in ‘exceptionally high’ flood with a rising trend in the Guddu-Sukkur reach and in high flood at Kalabagh and Taunsa.

A medium flood at Chashma and Tarbela, very high flood in Kabul at Nowshera and medium flood at Warsak are also showing a rising trend.

Tarbela and Mangla dams have water levels of 1,534.33 feet and 1,206 feet -- 15.67 feet and four feet below their maximum levels. The combined live storage of Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma is 10.714MAF as compared to last year’s 10.771MAF.

FFD chief Hazrat Mir said a peak of 550,000 to 650,000 cusecs had moved from the Partab Bridge, between Skardu and Besham, towards Tarbela.

He said such a huge amount of water had never reached Tarbela from this side in the known history.

The flood is likely to cause extensive damage and wash away low bridges from Partab to Tarbela. The areas which may be badly affected include Bunji, Chilas, Pattan and Besham.

Tarbela had received its earlier highest peak of 510,000 cusecs on July 7, 1989.

A peak of 604,000 cusecs had reached Tarbela after torrential rains in Gilgit-Baltistan on July 30. The flow swelled to 950,000 to one million cusecs after the addition of water from the rivers Kabul and Soan at Kalabagh. This peak is now roaring past Guddu and Sukkur to reach the Arabian Sea.

Mr Mir said the flow in the Indus above Tarbela had increased because of the arrival of 300,000 cusecs from Indian-held Kashmir. “The additional flow entered Pakistan much faster than our calculations,” he said.

He said the Indus at Tarbela and Kalabagh was expected to be in very high flood over the next two days, but the peak would pass the two points without posing any major danger.

The river Kabul at Nowshera was in very high flood and the Chenab at Marala in medium flood.

 

[fawwaxs]

Floods send foods prices soaring in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistanis grappled with skyrocketing fruit and vegetable prices Sunday caused by floods that have destroyed more than 1 million acres (405,000 hectares) of crops and left at least 4 million people in need of food assistance in the coming months.

The rising prices threaten to amplify misery in a country where many residents were already struggling with poverty and food insecurity before the worst flooding in Pakistan's history struck about two weeks ago, killing 1,500 people and leaving millions more begging for help.

The prices of basic items such as tomatoes, onions, potatoes and squash have in some cases quadrupled in recent days, putting them out of reach for many Pakistanis who struggled to get by even before the floods hit.

''It is like a fire erupted in the market,'' said Mohammad Siddiq as he purchased vegetables in the city of Lahore. ''Floods and rains have made these things unaffordable.''

Pakistan has worked with international partners to rescue more than 100,000 people and provide food and shelter to thousands more. But the government has struggled to cope with the scale of a disaster that it estimates has affected 13 million people, and could get worse as heavy rains lashed Pakistan again on Sunday.

Many flood victims have complained they have not received aid quickly enough or at all, and this anger could increase as rising food prices across the country affect many more people in this nation of 180 million.

''The floods have destroyed the agricultural fields and washed away vegetable crops ready for harvest,'' said Zahid Gardezi, a farmer in the central Pakistani city of Multan. ''Whatever farmers stored they cannot transport because roads have washed away and communication links are down.''

At least 1.4 million acres (570,000 hectares) of crops were destroyed in the central province of Punjab, the breadbasket for the rest of Pakistan, said the UN. Many more crops were devastated in the northwest, where destruction from the floods has been most severe and many residents were still trying to recover from intense battles between the Taliban and the army last year.

''The flooding has caused massive damage to crops and also to the reserve that people had at their houses,'' said Amjad Jamal, spokesman for the World Food Program, which has provided food to more than 265,000 people in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

''Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was a food insecure province even before the floods, and a lot of areas are such that people can't afford even one meal a day,'' said Jamal.

At least 4 million people will need food assistance across Pakistan for the next three months at a cost of nearly $100 million, said Jamal.

The number of people needing assistance could increase as heavy rains continued to hit many areas of Pakistan on Sunday, swelling rivers and hampering relief work.

The Indus river overflowed its banks near the city of Sukkur in southern Sindh province on Sunday, submerging the nearby village of Mor Khan Jatoi with chest-high water and destroying many of its 1,500 mud homes.

''We were strengthening the embankment ourselves to save the village but failed and it was breached this morning and water inundated the village,'' said one of the affected villagers, Dadal Morai, who complained they have not received any government help.

Many foreign countries have stepped in to help the government, including the US, which has pledged millions of dollars and provided six military helicopters to help evacuate victims from the northwest and deliver much needed food and water. About 85 US soldiers are involved, though ongoing rain has limited their flights.

But the government has also had competition from Islamic charities that have provided victims with food and shelter.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani asked for more help from the international community Sunday, saying the government couldn't cope with the disaster on its own.

''We will exhaust our resources to rescue, provide food, medicine and shelter, but it is beyond our capacity, so we will appeal to the world,'' said Gilani during a visit to Sukkur. – AP

 

[muse]

The PPP has really lost all credibility -- mid term elections were a very long shot before, I think people might think differently now -- Act of God, yes, got that, but there is such a thing as planning, and it's the govt's responsibility -- instead Mr. Zero was in Europe grooming his dynasty and the son of a Pir? missing in action? Now the high prices - Terrible, rotten to the core!

 

[fawwaxs]

 

[fawwaxs]

 

[fawwaxs]

Flood warning for Muzaffargarh issued

MUZAFFARGARH: Flood warning has been issued in Muzaffargarh district after the water level in Ring Pur canal reached a dangerous level, Geo News reported.

The residents have been asked to leave the area. Adequate transport facilities were not available making the evacuation more difficult where 400000 people were waiting to move.

DCO Muzaffargarh Farasat Iqbal told Geo News that the government would provide all resources to the citizens.

Landslides complicate flood relief efforts

MINGORA: Landslides triggered by the worst floods in Pakistan in 80 years are hampering already troubled relief efforts, with aid workers using donkeys or travelling on foot to reach millions in desperate need of help.

Poor weather has made it difficult for helicopters to deliver food to some parts of the Swat Valley and among the areas first hit by the deluge.

Many roads have been destroyed and landslides have added to the isolation of many areas.

“It's hard to get supplies there. I would like to emphasise we are moving by foot or donkey. We are making all kinds of possible efforts. We are unable to get in to most places of Swat Valley,” said Maurizio Giuliano, spokesman for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

An army spokesman in Swat said there had been landslides that blocked the main road leading to the valley. Relief efforts have resumed but helicopters are not able to reach parts of valley because of rain, he said.

“We are using 100 mules to transport relief to far-flung areas where helicopters could not fly because of bad weather,” the army spokesman said.

The army has distributed nearly 100 tonnes of food and other relief goods to three areas of Swat.