begins its anniversary recognition of the terrible flooding of the city
during Hurricane Katrina, another place far away is in an agony far
greater than seen in living memory.
17 million people have been affected, according to reports.
"Pakistan is facing a slow-motion tsunami. Its destructive power will accumulate and grow with time...
Make no mistake: this is a global disaster, a global challenge. It is
one of the greatest tests of global solidarity in our times." Secretary
General Ban Ki-moon said at the meeting of the General Assembly of the
United Nations late last week.
The United Nations reports the floods moving South and with them increasing devastation. Maurizio Giuliano, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), in an interview with UN Radio reports:
"We have hundreds of thousands of people on the move [and] if we are
not able to reach all those in need fast enough, there may be a spread
of waterborne diseases and, of course, food shortages and lack of
shelter will not contribute to improving the situation of those in
need.”
"We have hundreds of thousands of people on the move [and] if we are
not able to reach all those in need fast enough, there may be a spread
of waterborne diseases and, of course, food shortages and lack of
shelter will not contribute to improving the situation of those in
need.”
Evacuations have been reported from low-lying areas of Hyderabad as the
second wave of flooding moved southwards, according to OCHA. Large
parts of Jacobabad district were also evacuated during the weekend, Mr.
Giuliano explained.
“We’ll only be able to know in the coming days how many people have been affected [in Sindh],” Mr. Giuliano added.
According to the United Nations report of present conditions, the
floods, which began late last month in the wake of particularly heavy
monsoon rains, have so far claimed 1,200 lives and destroyed homes,
farmland and major infrastructure in large parts of the country.
According to Government estimates, 15.4 million people are affected,
with at least 6 million of them in need of food, shelter, clean water
and health care.
The diseases may take many more lives, health officials worry.
The UN World Health Organization (WHO)
reported that the number of cases of diseases was on the rise. The
agency said that so far, more than 200,000 of acute diarrhoea, at least
260,000 cases of skin diseases and more than 200,000 cases of acute
respiratory diseases have been reported in flood-affected provinces.
reported that the number of cases of diseases was on the rise. The
agency said that so far, more than 200,000 of acute diarrhoea, at least
260,000 cases of skin diseases and more than 200,000 cases of acute
respiratory diseases have been reported in flood-affected provinces.
In a related development, the head of the UN Telecommunications Union (ITU), Hamadoun Touré, today sent out an appeal for contributions to assist those affected by the floods in Pakistan.
New
Orleans commemorates its dead, its lost, its recovering victories now
as in another part of the world an even more devastating flood
overwhelms much of an entire country of millions.
Orleans commemorates its dead, its lost, its recovering victories now
as in another part of the world an even more devastating flood
overwhelms much of an entire country of millions.
International
relief agencies ask for citizen support donations in the aid of
Pakistan. The United Nations states that support has been minimal in
relationship to the enormity of the tragedy.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Say something constructive. Negative remarks and name-calling are not allowed.