300,000 affected by Pakistan floods

By Aamir Latif

KARACHI, Pakistan

Pakistan's authorities have ramped up rescue efforts on Wednesday as the threat from flooding in several parts of the country increases. 

The National Disaster Management Authority issued a warning of high floods in the Indus River and heavy rains which could inundate several low-lying areas in the northeastern Punjab and southern Sindh provinces in the next couple of days.

Flash floods washed away a vehicle carrying 12 people in the Hub district of southwestern Baluchistan province on Wednesday morning. Rescue workers have recovered four of the bodies, local Geo TV reported.

Army helicopters evacuated 60 children, women and ailing men from suburban parts of the northeastern Chitral valley, where 300,000 people have so far been affected by the flood according to the army's media wing, Inter Services Public Relations.

The provincial Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government said that over a hundred houses and 30 connecting bridges have also been washed away by floods in the last four days, leaving the area, which borders Afghanistan, isolated from the rest of Pakistan. 

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited parts of Chitral to monitor the rescue efforts as army engineers repaired two key bridges to restore some road connections between the tourist valley and the rest of the country.

Army Chief General Raheel Sharif has put the army on alert following the fresh flood warning for several northeastern and southern parts of the country.

TV Footage showed thousands of stranded citizens taking refuge on the embankments of the Sindh and Chenab rivers in Layyah, Muzaffargarh, DG Khan, Ghotki and Bhakkar districts. Many of them were seen reaching the embankments through small boats.

The meteorological department has also issued a warning of “urban flooding” in major cities like Karachi and Lahore due to forecasted heavy rains.