Death toll from Pakistani floods mounts to 1,343 as 18 more die

 Official statistics announced on Tuesday that the death toll from floods in Pakistan had reached 1,343, with 18 more killed in the past 24 hours.

Most of the new deaths, 14, were reported in the southern province of Sindh, where water flow from Lake Mansar, the country's largest freshwater lake, threatens at least five districts. Seven -year -old -aida Murad Ali Shah, seven years old, Kaerpur Nathan Shah and Mahari have already drowned a few lands in the province's capital, Karachi, threatening overflow and violation of the central districts.

Shah said the Indus River, one of the longest rivers of Asia, 3180 kilometers (around 1976 miles) and the largest country, is in high floods and does not receive water from Lake Mangar. He warned, "We estimate that it will take another seven days to get the Indus water from Manjar. Until then, these areas will definitely be in danger." The total population of the five districts currently affected by heavy rains and flash floods is more than 5 million people.

He added that at least one million tents are needed to serve the growing number of displaced people across the province. Located west of the mighty Indus in the southern districts of Thado and Jamshoro, Lake Mansar is spread over an area of ​​250 square kilometers (about 97 square miles) and is heavily inundated by the massive currents of the Indus and Kirdar rivers. mountain range

Considered one of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia with an average depth of 2.5 to 3.75 meters, it can expand up to 500 square kilometers during the peak monsoon season. According to the latest statistics, the total number of deaths in the province since mid-June has reached 536.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), since June 14, a total of 290 people have died in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, followed by 260 in Balochistan province. On the other hand, 191 people lost their lives in the northeastern province of Punjab.

Since June 14, a total of 12,720 people have been affected by rain and flooding across the country. Unprecedented rains flooded a third of the country, prompting the government to issue an international appeal.

Incessant rains and severe flooding have so far destroyed much of the country's infrastructure and countryside, including hundreds of thousands of homes, roads and bridges, and drowned more than 750,000 animals. About 45 percent of agricultural land is now flooded, posing a serious threat to food security and contributing to rising inflation.

 

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