Dozens of people have been killed in fresh flooding in southern Pakistan, officials said on Saturday, bringing the death toll to 1,265 in the latest floods.
There were more than 50 deaths in the southern province of Sindh which was hit by another deluge of rainwater flowing from the north, the national disaster agency reported on Friday.
Several towns in Sindh, the region hit hardest by the previous flooding triggered by heavy monsoon rains from mid-June, are facing fresh deluges as the waters breach the Indus’ banks again.
The Indus is the longest river in Pakistan, flowing from the Himalayas to the Arabian Sea in the south.
It has already burst its banks this season after heavy rains in the mountainous areas last week. At least 15 children were among those killed in the latest flooding. according to Friday’s data.
So far, 441 of those killed in this season’s flooding have been children.
Members of the armed forces, rescue teams, and volunteers are still evacuating people in remote villages who have been stranded by the rising water levels, provincial government spokesman Murtaza Wahab said. Several countries, global companies, and charities have pledged millions of dollars in aid to help Pakistan overcome one of the worst catastrophes in the country attributed to climate change.
Pakistani political leaders and climate activists have urged wealthier nations not to abandon the country, which is responsible for less than 1% of global carbon emissions but is among the 10 countries most vulnerable to the impact of global warming.
