— 92,000 infected of water-borne diseases get treatment
KARACHI: Death toll from catastrophic floods crossed 1,500 on Friday as over 92,000 among displaced citizens in Sindh were treated from infectious and water-borne diseases.
In a report issued on Friday, the Sindh Directorate General Health Services said 92,797 citizens were treated on September 15 (Thursday). Of these, 588 were confirmed to have malaria with another 10,604 cases.
The report said that 17,977 cases of diarrhoea and 20,064 skin disease cases were reported on Thursday, alongside 28 cases of dengue. A total of 2.3 million patients have been treated since July 1 in the field and mobile hospitals set up in the flooded region.
Further, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said 22 flood-related deaths were reported over the last 24 hours. Since June 14, 1,508 people have died.
In its daily situation report, the NDMA also said nine individuals were injured in flood-related incidents during the last 24 hours, taking the total to 12,758.
Recent floods, brought by record monsoon rains and glacial melt in northern mountains, have also swept away homes, vehicles, crops and livestock in damage estimated at $30 billion.
The government and the United Nations have blamed climate change for the surging waters in the wake of record-breaking summer temperatures, with Pakistan receiving 391mm of rain, or nearly 190 per cent more than the 30-year average, in July and August. That climbed to 466pc for Sindh, one of the worst-affected areas.
On Friday, there were signs of life returning to normal in parts of the province as water levels continued to recede.
Dadu Deputy Commissioner (DC) Murtaza Ali Shah told media that the level of floodwater had dropped by approximately two feet at various spots, including the ring bund, in the district’s Mehar city.
He said there was still eight to night-feet-high water in the city’s adjoining areas, but the level was continuously reducing. And “markets in the city have started opening partially,” he added.
Dadu Assistant Commissioner Mohsin Sheikh said that the residents of Mehar, who had shifted to safer locations in the wake of floods, had started returning after the drop in water levels.
Moreover, DC Shah said water levels had also dropped by the same measure in Khairpur Nathan Shah.
Separately, PPP MPA Pir Mujeebul Haq, who was elected from Dadu’s PS-74 constituency, said that the water level in the Main Nara Valley Drain had dropped by two feet.
In Johi, MNA Rafique Jamali, elected from Dadu’s NA-235 constituency, said the water level was around eight to nine feet high in the city and that the water level was dropping at the city’s ring bund. He said markets had started opening partially in Johi.
PPP MNA Sikandar Ali Rahoupoto, who has been elected from Jamshoro’s NA-233 constituency, estimated that the water was standing up to eight to nine feet in Bhan Syedabad and adjoining areas after the levels dropped by around two feet.
“Bhan Syedebad has partially opened,” he said.
