— Fears it will take ‘three to six months’ to drain out floodwater from affected areas
KARACHI: Syed Murad Ali Shah, chief minister of Sindh, said the number of people rendered homeless by the devastating floods in Sindh has risen to over 12.5 million, adding the agriculture and livestock sectors suffered billions in losses.
He was speaking to the media after reciting a prayer and laying a floral wreath at the grave of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father, on his 74th death anniversary. Agha Siraj Durrani, acting governor of Sindh, was also present on the occasion.
Tribute to Quaid-e-Azam
Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah lays floral wreath, offers fateha and records his impressions in the visitors book opened at Mazar-e-Quaid on the occasion of 74rth death anniversary of Father of Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. #PPP pic.twitter.com/vPdNuofF7K— Sindh Chief Minister House (@SindhCMHouse) September 11, 2022
Torrential rains and flooding have submerged a third of Pakistan and killed more than 1,400 people, including children, as the United Nations appealed for aid for what it described as an “unprecedented climate catastrophe.”
The country has received nearly 190 percent more rain than the 30-year average in the quarter through August, totalling 390.7 millimetres (15.38 inches). Sindh, with a population of 50 million, was hardest hit, getting 466 percent more rain than the 30-year average.
“It would take between three to six months to drain water from the flood-hit areas. Efforts were afoot to ensure the cultivation of wheat in November or December,” Shah told the press.
“In some areas, there is at least eight to 10 feet of water. Even in places where it is receding, the situation is not such that people can return,” he added, highlighting that the country had received unprecedented rainfall this year.
Even “the secretary general of the United Nations said he has never seen such destruction,” he remembered.
The CM, replying to a question about floods, said that the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres after visiting the flood-affected areas said he had never seen such a catastrophe.
“More than 1.5 million people have been displaced, of them over 600,000 shifted to camps,” he said and added he requested the UN Secretary-General for the assistance of tents and medicines.
Shah said that he had released the budget allocated for the purchase of medicines so that flood-affected people facing different ailments could be treated properly.
To a question, the CM said that standing crops worthRs50 billion have been washed away. “I have discussed with the UN Secretary-General that we would have to offer an agricultural package, otherwise the grower would not be able to sow Rabi crops,” he said and added he was trying to dewater agricultural lands so that Rabi crops could be planted by the first week of December.
According to Mr Shah his government is trying to prepare at least 75 percent of agricultural lands for the wheat crop. “We have lost our standing paddy and cotton crops in this Kharif and would not be able to afford to lose Rabi crops,” he said.
The chief minister, to another question, deplored that some indecent and inhuman statements were issued to the flood-affected people who have come to Karachi. “Karachi is part of the province, and we are making arrangements to shift them to the camps and will look after them,” he said and added they were in pain, and their dispossessions [in the flood] demand that each and every one of us, according to our status and position, should help them to rehabilitate.
Mr Shah agreed with a question that K-Electric, Hesco, and Sepco had failed to deliver. “I am sorry to say that our power distribution companies, particularly the Hesco and Sepco had no contingency plan to continue power supply at least to the pumping stations involved in pumping out rainwater from the towns and cities.
Earlier, Shah and Durrani paid homage to Jinnah. “We pay homage to the Quaid-i-Azam. We also pray for the freedom of the people of Kashmir,” Shah said.
