Pakistan floods prompt mass evacuations in south (100s of thousands ordered to evacuate their homes)

[Turborama]

Source: BBC

Hundreds of thousands of Pakistanis have been ordered to evacuate their homes as flood waters threaten several cities in the south of the country.

The flood surge, after weeks of monsoon rains, has breached embankments on the Indus River, inundating villages and swamping vast areas of farmland.

Parts of Pakistan have been described as resembling an inland sea.

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The remaining residents of Shahdadkot, originally a town of 300,000 people, have been warned to leave as floodwaters approach. Many people have already left the town, in northern Sindh province.

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Further downstream, about 400,000 people have been told to evacuate the towns of Sujawal, Mir Pur Batoro and Daro.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11105661

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More details and incredible video report at the link.


Updated map of the flooding

NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/27/world/asia/27flood.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&src=ig">Pakistan Flood Sets Back Years of Gains on Infrastructure

Excellent OP by Sabrina 1: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9018714">"Why Is The U.S. Press Ignoring Pakistan’s Devastating, Dangerous Floods?"


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[sabrina 1]

1. It is getting worse. The UN secretary was not exaggerating

when he said it is the worst natural disaster ever.

Where will all those people go? :cry:

[OhioChick]

2. It is getting worse....

I feel so bad for all the people there. :(

[Turborama]

3. Did you watch the BBC video? The thing is, that area is totally flat.

AJ English have been reporting on it, too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVmIeCj5a14

ETA added it to the videos forum now, too: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x499080

[sabrina 1]

6. I did watch the Al Jazeera video in the other thread.

Is it my imagination or are have the floods reached India? Looking at the map, some heavy and moderate flooding seems to be at the border between both countries ... and up north, the same thing with Afghanistan. I will go look to see if India is reporting flooding also.

[Turborama]

4. CNN International: Officials in flood-ravaged Pakistan urge 500,000 new evacuations

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan's government has warned about 500,000 people in the country's southeastern Sindh province they should evacuate immediately because of possible flooding, government officials said Thursday.

Residents of three major towns -- Sujawal, Mirpur Bathoro and Daro -- and their surrounding villages have been urged to evacuate as soon as they can to avoid possible flooding.

The warning was issued after a breach in one of the embankments caused by rising water levels in the Indus River, said Ali Gul Sanjrani, a senior government official in Thatha district.

Adding to the problem: a forecast of rain for all of Pakistan's four provinces over the next 24 hours. Thousands remain at risk in the flood-ravaged nation.

Sirens blared Thursday from mosques in Indus River delta cities and towns like Shahdadkot where remaining berms and levees holding back water were about to burst.

Full article (plus videos & Photos): http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/08/26/pakistan.floods/index.html?hpt=T2#fbid=5tFS21of5oJ&wom=false

[sabrina 1]

5. They are at least evacuating people it seems and saving lives

by doing so. It's like one of those horrible disaster movies that never ends.

I was struck by what one woman said when interviewed after she had evacuated, first from home, then from where she had evacuated to 'it's like the water is following us'!

I really, really hope those lefees do not burst. They just can't seem to get a break!