Pakistan authorities warn of second wave of floods

Pakistani authorities today issued warnings for a second wave of floods as the swollen Indus river submerged more villages and cropland in southern Sindh province, adding to the millions of people affected by the deluge.

The Meteorological Department warned that the Indus would attain "exceptionally high flood" level of up to one million cusecs at Guddu by tomorrow and at Sukkur in Sindh by August 15.

The second wave of floods could inundate low lying areas in Khairpur, Jacobabad, Ghotki, Sukkur and Larkana, officials said.

The department further warned that the Chenab river would attain "high flood" level at Marala and Khanki by tomorrow, threatening low-lying areas in Gujranwala, Sialkot and Gujrat in Punjab province.

It asked authorities to take steps to prevent loss of life and property. 

The Meteorological Department forecast widespread thunderstorm and rains in the upper catchment areas of the
Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers over the next 24 hours.

In southern Pakistan, the Indus inundated some 650 villages in Shikarpur district and submerged a section of the Sindh-Balochistan railway track.

At least five persons drowned over the past few days. 

People were living in the open after waters entered their home.

Officials said about 400,000 people across Jacobabad district were affected by the floods. 

President Asif Ali Zardari, who has been criticised for travelling to Europe after the unprecedented monsoon rains hit Pakistan, today made his first visit to flood-hit areas when he travelled to Sukkur. He was briefed on the situation by senior officials.

Zardari also toured the Sukkur Barrage and met people made homeless by the floods. 

Prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani surveyed devastated areas of Punjab and Balochistan from the air and directed officials to speed up efforts to reach out to stranded people.

The government will divert funds from development projects to help flood victims and review budgetary allocations, he said.

As weather conditions improved in some flood-affected areas, aid workers and government organisations rushed food, water and medical supplies to the victims. 

Nearly 1,700 people have died so far and the UN has warned there could be more deaths if relief supplies are not rushed to the worst-hit areas. 

Aid workers and the authorities struggled to cope as the flood waters inundated fresh areas in Punjab and Sindh. 

The high flood in the Indus threatened Rojhan in Punjab and residents began evacuating the town. A number of villages in Dera Ghazi Khan were submerged, leaving thousands of people homeless.