Floods in Pakistan - 300,000 affected , 108 killed - Official figures.

Floods In Pakistan – Heavy monsoon rains have triggered floods affecting more than 300,000 people across Pakistan in the last two weeks and killed 108 others, disaster management officials said on Sunday.

“The rains affected 334,764 people, killed at least 108 people and wounded 104,” a senior National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) official told AFP.

The rains have hit 770 villages and completely destroyed 2,427 houses across Pakistan, he said.

The NDMA has established 44 relief camps in flood-hit areas to accommodate affected people, the official added.

Pakistan has suffered from monsoon floods for the last three years and has been criticised for not doing more to mitigate against the dangers posed by seasonal rains washing away homes and farmland.

Streets in all major cities including Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad suffer intermittent flooding due to downpours, damaging roads and private homes.

In 2010, the worst floods in the country’s history killed almost 1,800 people and affected 21 million.

Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has directed the Punjab government to utilize all possible resources for accelerating relief activities in the flood-hit areas. The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction over the measures being taken by the Punjab government for providing relief to flood affected people, during a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif who called on the former here Sunday. Punjab Chief Minister briefed the Prime Minister regarding flood situation and relief activities in the province.

He apprised the Premier that all the available resources are being utilized for the rehabilitation of flood affected people. Chief Minister said that provincial ministers and senior officers are present in the flood-hit areas for supervising relief activities. He said that special camps have also been set up for the flood victims in the affected areas. Chief Minister said that he is also continuously visiting the flood affected areas and personally supervising the relief and rehabilitation activities.

President Asif Ali Zardari expressed serious concern over the loss of lives and properties across the country by recent floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains. Expressing his concern, the President has called upon all the authorities concerned to gear up efforts to provide relief to the affected people including provision of shelter and medical assistance to the displaced population. The President said that special needs and requirements of the children and women must be taken into account while making relief arrangements. The President also called upon the provincial authorities to chalk out comprehensive plans and strategies for rehabilitation of the affected keeping in view past experience.