A senior local official has warned that Pakistan’s largest lake is about to explode on its banks after attempts by authorities to drain it in a controlled manner failed.
In a last attempt to avoid disaster, Officials hacked Saw Lake on Sundaya move they acknowledged could displace up to 100,000 people from their homes but would also save densely populated areas from flooding.
However, on Monday, the provincial irrigation minister, Jam Khan Shoro, said the efforts had not been successful. “The water level in Lake Manshar has not decreased,” he said of the freshwater reservoir in southern Sindh province.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif traveled to Sindh on Monday to assess the damage, and toured the region with his foreign minister by helicopter. The region produces half of the country’s food but 90% of its crops have been destroyed, while entire villages have been washed away.
The monsoon rains and melting glaciers have caused floods affecting 33 million people and claiming at least 1,314 lives, including 458 children, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Agency said in an update on Monday.
Satellite images showed that A third of the country is under water now. More than 1.6 million homes have been damaged since mid-June.
On Monday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees sent much-needed aid, as two UNHCR planes landed in the southern port city of Karachi, the capital of Sindh province. Two more are expected later today. A third plane also landed in Karachi with the help of Turkmenistan.
“The floods have left children and families in the open without access to the basic necessities of life,” said Abdullah Fazel, representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in Pakistan.
The influx of water came after rising summer temperatures and rainfall. The Pakistani government and the United Nations have blamed the extreme weather on climate warming.
Sharif has He said his country is not responsible About a disaster fueled by the climate crisis, which he called “the most difficult moment” in the nation’s history.
His government estimates the damage at $10 billion (£8.7 billion), and world powers have called for help. Last week, the United States announced $30 million (£26 million) in humanitarian aid for Pakistani flood victims, and other countries provided air assistance.
However, Pakistan’s climate change minister blamed polluting rich countries for the “miserable” climate collapse. Sherry Rehman said that Pakistan contributed less than 1% of greenhouse gas emissions but suffers the most from the effects of a warming climate.
Rehman The Guardian newspaper that ‘rich countries should do more’including paying compensation to countries facing disasters caused by climate change.
“Historical grievances must be heard and there must be some level of climate equivalency so that the brunt of irresponsible carbon consumption is not placed on nations near the equator.”
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this article
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