Flood fury in Pakistan: Swelling river ravages bridge, forces hundreds to flee houses

Tens of hundreds of individuals fled their houses in northern Pakistan on Saturday after a fast-rising river destroyed a significant bridge, as lethal floods triggered devastation throughout the nation.

Powerful flash floods within the northern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa triggered the Kabul River to swell, sweeping away a big bridge in a single day, reducing off some districts from highway entry.

Downstream, fears of flooding across the river banks prompted round 180,000 individuals within the district of Charsadda to flee their houses, based on catastrophe officers, with some spending the night time on highways with their livestock.

Historic monsoon rains and flooding in Pakistan have affected greater than 30 million individuals over the previous few weeks, the nation’s local weather change minister mentioned, calling the state of affairs a “climate-induced humanitarian disaster of epic proportions”.

Just IN:— Flash floods wreak havoc in Pakistan; 4.6 million individuals affected: 300,000 homeless; over 1000 lifeless. 90% crops in sindh province ravaged. pic.twitter.com/Y56DAcy6JM

— South Asia Index (@SouthAsiaIndex) August 26, 2022

The navy has joined the nation’s nationwide and provincial authorities in responding to the floods and Pakistan’s military chief on Saturday visited the southern province of Balochistan, which has been hit closely by the rains.

“The people of Pakistan are our priority and we won’t spare any effort to assist them in this difficult time,” mentioned military chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

Pakistani leaders have appealed to the worldwide neighborhood for assist and plan to launch a world enchantment fund. The overseas affairs ministry mentioned Turkey had despatched a staff to assist with rescue efforts.

“The magnitude of the calamity is bigger than estimated,” mentioned Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in a tweet, after visiting flooded areas.

In neighbouring Afghanistan, the Taliban administration additionally appealed for assist after flooding in central and japanese provinces.

The demise toll from floods this month in Afghanistan had risen to 192, catastrophe authorities mentioned. Thousands of livestock had been killed and 1.7 million fruit bushes destroyed, elevating considerations over how households would feed themselves going into the cooler months whereas the nation offers with an financial disaster.

“We ask the humanitarian organisations, the international community and other related organisations and foundations to help us,” Sharafudden Muslim, the deputy director of Afghanistan’s catastrophe ministry, mentioned at a press convention, including greater than one million households required help.

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