President arrives in Sukkur to sympathize with flood victims

SUKKUR: President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday assured the flood affected people that the government was working hard to deliver relief goods and minimize their sufferings caused by unprecedented floods in the country. The President stated this during his visit to Sukkur Barrage and a meeting with the flood victims at a relief camp where he also received a briefing on the latest flood situation. The President, who was accompanied by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Federal Minister for Labour Syed Khurshid Shah, Senator Islamuddin Sheikh, party leaders and government officials was given a briefing by Irrigation Provincial Secretary Shujauddin Junejo. The President asked questions to ascertain for himself the flood situation and its effect on the population. The Secretary told that 19 districts of Sindh had been affected. Some 188 villages were affected in Kashmore, 148 in Sukkur, 108 in Shikarpur, 584 in Khanpur, 214 in Larkana, 97 in Shahdadkot, 48 in Nosheroferoze, 223 in Shaheed Benazirabad, five in Dadu, 222 in Hyderabad and 35 in Tando Muhammad. Breaches had occurred at 100 places which worsened the situation in the inundated areas of the province. The President was told that 618 relief camps had been set up to help the flood victims. The aid was sent to the relief camps through aircraft, helicopters and for the rescue operation 10 navy rubber boats manned by navy personnel, 154 boats of Sindh government and boats of fisheries department were put to use. Food, drinking water and basic amenities were also delivered at the camps. The President was informed that NADRA had started registration of displaced people in an effort to improve the relief activities. President Zardari was told that United Nations had also come to the aid of relief agencies by providing food, shelter, health, sanitation facilities and essential equipment to mitigate sufferings of the people. Pakistan army was fully participating in the relief activities with its boats and dewatering pump sets. About 186 life safety jackets, 100 water proof torches, oxygen cylinders, 50 emergency generators, 100 helmets with search lights and 6000 mobilised tents were being deployed in the rescue and relief operation. About 7000 tents will also be provided on the directions of the Prime Minister. The President was told that Rs 40 billion was required for the relief activities. Three hundred motorised boats, hydraulic excavators, 300,000 ration packets, clean water, medicines and vaccines against snakebite were also needed. The Secretary Irrigation said that the floods were unprecedented as the water flowed from hill torrents and with heavy rains submerged huge areas. He said the high level of water flow in catchment areas caused unpredictable rise in rivers. There were abrupt changes in the weather and the rain fell for long periods which caused rivers to swell. He said heavy rains hindered flood fighting activities and blocked access to the affected people. In Sindh out of148 vulnerable embankments 11 were still at the risk of inaundation.