20 more perish in Sindh’s flooded areas

Ag Agencies

SUKKUR/ISLAMABAD: As many as 20 people, including children and woman, died of malaria and gastroenteritis in the flood-affected areas of Sindh in the last 24 hours.

According to reports, the deceased included 13 children and two women.

The Sindh government said the makeshift health facilities and mobile camps in the flooded areas had treated more than 78,000 patients in the last 24 hours, and more than two million patients since July 1.

It confirmed 665 new cases of malaria among the internally displaced families over the same period, with another 9,201 suspected cases. It said a quarter of the more than 19,000 patients screened in the last 24 hours across the province were positive with a total of 4,876.

Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah said that 22,000 schools were damaged across the province, while 2.8 million students were affected due to the floods.

Syed Sardar Ali Shah directed the concerned officers that temporary schools should be established.

Flood-ravaged Balochistan also faces outbreak of viral diseases as 3,162 new cases of diarrhoea, skin infections and malaria have been reported in the last 24 hours.

Meanwhile, Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab Faisal Farid has alerted the relevant line departments in view of Met Department ‘s forecast of heavy rains in the upper catchment areas of Sutlej River, Indus River, Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi during the next 72 hours.

Due to expected heavy downpour, the water level in the rivers may rise. Meanwhile, there is also a rain forecast for Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and Sahiwal divisions.

The DG PDMA asked the departments to complete necessary measures in time to avoid loss of life as well as property, necessary equipment and keep the staff ready.