» 08/02/2010 17:05 PAKISTAN Monsoon rains deal Pakistan a blow, killing more than 1,100 people In north-western Pakistan, 27,000 people are still waiting for rescue on rooftops. Only helicopters are able to bring relief because bridges and roads are broken or flooded. More than 1.5 million people are at risk of epidemics. Italian Bishops’ Conference urges everyone to pray, pledges € 1 million in aid to the affected population.
Islamabad (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The death toll from the floods that hit north-eastern Pakistan rose to 1,100 on Monday, 800 in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province alone monsoon rains swept away eight hotels. Altogether, some 27,000 people are still stranded on rooftops, waiting for rescue, which can only be done by helicopter because of collapsed bridges and flooded roads have made travel over land impossible.
“People are waiting on their rooftops and some have not eaten for two or three days,” said Noor-ul-Wahid, a spokesman for the Al-Khidmat foundation, a Pakistani NGO. “Their wells are contaminated,” and “they are in dire need of fresh water and water filtration units.”
The authorities of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (ex North-West Frontier Province) said that 1.5 million people who survived the fury of the waters now are at risk of epidemics.
Meanwhile, humanitarian aid has started pouring into the country. Today, the United Nations and the United States have each pledged US$ 10 million towards relief efforts. China has pledged US$ 1.5 in emergency funds.
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Italy (CEI) has pledged € 1 million (US$ 1.3 million), drawn from special funds it receives from Italian taxpayers.
“The presidency of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Italy,” a CEI communiqué said, “urges Church communities to pray for those who are currently going through such a tragic event and to help them via initiatives of solidarity promoted by Caritas Italy to alleviate the suffering of the people involved.”
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