Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Death toll rises in Pakistan floods

Al-Jazeera.com: Monsoon rain and floods have killed at least 58 people across Pakistan and affected tens of thousands of others, officials have said, warning of more rain to come. "At least 58 people have died, more than 30 others were injured and 66,000 were affected by rain and flooding in Pakistan since July 31," Brigadier Mirza Kamran Zia, operations chief of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), said on Monday.

Twelve people were missing, 2,249 houses were destroyed and 66,341 people have been displaced according to figures released by NDMA. Zia said floods were receding and people were returning to their homes, but he warned that more rain than usual was expected this month and next.

NDMA chief Major General Muhammad Saeed Aleem said the recurring flooding was the result of global climate change. "Unexpected rains are global climatic change phenomena, but we can prepare and plan ahead to mitigate the disaster," Aleem said.

"We are worried about central Pakistan this year, where more rain and flooding from hill torrents is expected," Aleem said....

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