Karachi, Sept 14: More than 200 people have died, 200-thousand have been left homeless and 4.2 million acres of agricultural land have been inundated, as heavy flooding spreads across Pakistan's Sindh province.
The town of Tando Bago, in Badin district - the worst hit district around 200 kilometres from Karachi - is under several feet of water in places, making it impossible for residents to return to their homes.
Affected families in Tando Bago were given shelter in a makeshift camp set up at an educational institute.
Bibi Mero, a flood victim seeking shelter at the institute, complained that they were not receiving enough aid from the Pakistani government.
"We are not receiving any relief goods, even not a single five kilogram bag of flour," she said.
The floods began early last month, but heavy rains have compounded them recently and hampered relief efforts.
4.2 million acres of agricultural land has also been inundated, authorities said, devastating crores of rupees worth crops.
Local farmers in the Sindh province are once again facing huge financial losses with rice, cotton and sugarcane crops ruined.
Last year, southern Pakistan was hardest hit by massive floods that swamped much of the country, killing 2,000 people.
The United Nations, meanwhile, is rushing food and tents to Pakistan after Islamabad formally asked for foreign assistance this weekend.
Japan and China have also pledged relief goods or money, according to the Pakistan government.
The United States said it had paid for food packages for 23-thousand families, and that its local partners would soon begin handing out tents, clean water and other supplies.
The return of the floods is testament to the heaviness of the monsoon rains that lash much of South Asia from June to September, as well as the limits of Pakistan's weak and corrupt government.
As they did last year, the floods are undercutting the legitimacy of the shaky government, which is already widely disliked and struggling against Islamist militants, ever present political turmoil and massive economic problems. AP
