Death toll rises as floodwaters surge across south Asia

SBS World News Radio: Pakistan is the latest south Asian country gripped by flooding that's killed more than a thousand people and displaced 41 million more.

Death toll rises as floodwaters surge across south AsiaDeath toll rises as floodwaters surge across south Asia

Death toll rises as floodwaters surge across south Asia

Pakistan's most populous city, Karachi, is the latest city inundated as floodwaters surge across the sub-continent.

At least 16 people have been killed in the city, either by electrocution or collapsing walls.

Mohammad Altaf, a Karachi resident, says there is water everywhere.

"The water is knee deep. There is no one here to clear this water. We hear that more heavy rains have been predicted."

The weather bureau is predicting three more torrential days of rain across much of Pakistan.

Another resident, Gulab Maira, says the government needs to do more.

"The situation is out of control. There is water everywhere. People are wading in waist-high water. Vehicles have broken down, Traffic has gone nuts. There seems to be no end to our misery."

In Bangladesh the floods are the worst in 20 years, with two-thirds of the country underwater.

More than half a million houses have been destroyed and the government and aid agencies are providing food assistance to almost three million people.

Jared Berends, from aid agency World Vision, says people are desperate for help.

"A large volume of people who are currently living outside their houses and they're in desperate need of food and water and other medical assistance."

Humanitarian agencies are warning the dangers of a cholera outbreak are extremely high.

There are 18,000 schools across the subcontinent destroyed or damaged, forcing 1.8 million children out of classes.

Some parts of India have received 11 metres of rain this year.

Vinay, an Indian farmer says livliehoods have been lost, and crops and livestock destroyed.

"Our banana plantation has been completely destroyed and fodder for the animals got drenched and now we have nothing left to feed them."

In Mumbai, a search operation is continuing following the collapse of a five-storey building amid torrential rain.

Thirty-four people were killed and 20 rescued.

But the death toll could have been a lot worse - the building, which houses a pre-school, collapsed just half an hour before children were due to arrive.

 

 


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By Anita Clark

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