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UN: Pakistan Floods Displace 1 Million More People

   VOA News 27 August 2010
   Pakistani villagers arrive at a safe place after fleeing their flooded
   village in Thatta near Hyderabad, Pakistan 26 Aug., 2010.

Photo: AP

   Pakistani villagers arrive at a safe place after fleeing their flooded
   village in Thatta near Hyderabad, Pakistan 26 Aug., 2010.

   The United Nations says new floods in southern Pakistan have displaced
   about  one  million  people since Wednesday, worsening the impact of a
   month-long flooding disaster.
   U.N.  officials  said  Friday  the  newly-displaced flood victims were
   forced  to  leave  their  homes in Sindh province as the swollen Indus
   river burst its banks.
   Pakistani  authorities  ordered  people  to leave the historic town of
   Thatta  in  Sindh  after  the  Indus  breached a levee nearby. Tens of
   thousands of residents began fleeing late Thursday.
   The  floods  that  began  almost one month ago have devastated a large
   swath  of  Pakistan, starting in the mountainous north and shifting to
   its  southern  agricultural  heartland.  The  disaster  has  killed an
   estimated 1,600 people and affected up to 20 million others.
   The  United  States said Thursday there is "credible" information that
   Pakistani  militants  may  target foreign relief workers and Pakistani
   officials involved in flood relief efforts.
   U.S.  State  Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said U.S. officials are
   taking  the  threats  seriously  and  working  with  Pakistan to boost
   security. Â
   U.N.  humanitarian  spokesman  Maurizio  Giuliano  said any attacks on
   relief  workers  would  be  inhumane.  U.N. undersecretary general for
   humanitarian  affairs  John  Holmes  said relief workers faced similar
   threats before the floods and will not be deterred.
   A  Taliban  spokesman questioned the motives behind foreign assistance
   Thursday  and told news agencies that the presence of what he called a
   "horde" of foreigners in Pakistan is unacceptable.

                  Aid Agencies Providing Relief to Pakistan Flood Victims
     * [1]ICRC
     * [2]CARE
     * [3]UNICEF
     * [4]Save the Children
     * [5]Islamic Relief USA
     * [6]Relief International
     * [7]American Red Cross

     In the US text SWAT to 50555 to make a $10 donation to the [8]United
                                           Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR)

                                                     For More Information
     * [9]OneResponse
       The UN OCHA's source for humanitarian reporting
     * [10]Pakistan Flood Incident Reporting - Crowdmap
       A crowdsourced map of flood-related incidents

   Charities  linked  to  Pakistan-based  militant  groups also have been
   providing assistance to flood victims.
   Thatta  is home to historic graves and other sites built by the Mughul
   Empire that ruled the subcontinent.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

References

   1. http://www.icrc.org/eng
   2. http://www.care.org/index.asp
   3. http://www.unicefusa.org/
   4. http://www.SavetheChildren.org/donate
   5. http://www.islamicreliefusa.org/
   6. http://www.ri.org/
   7. http://www.RedCross.org/
   8. http://www.unhcr.org/emergency/pakistanfloods/global_landing.html
   9. http://www.pakresponse.info/
  10. http://pakrelief.crowdmap.com/

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