Survivors of the unprecedented floods in northwest Pakistan on Tuesday complained about the government’s inaction in mitigating their sufferings even as relief work was hampered by submerged roads, washed out bridges and disrupted communication links.
Sitting in a relief camp set up at a government school, eight-year-old Saeed said he wanted to go back to his village of Akbar Pura but his house had been washed away by gushing waters in the middle of the night.
“We don’t have any shelter to live in,” he said.
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Saeed, the son of a mason, said he was in the camp with his two younger brothers.
“They are playing in the school’s play ground because they are unaware of what has happened to our home,” he said.
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Scores of children affected by the floods were seen playing in the play ground while members of social welfare organisations were busy cooking meals for them.
Naveed, 10, Amjad, 12, and Shahzad, 15, were among the boys who had endured similar trauma after being forced to leave their homes in Jabbi village of Nowshera district.
“This is the only shirt I have,” said Muhammad Jamsheed, sitting in the playground.
“Everything was submerged in a flash by the floods,” he said with tears in his eyes.
Bakht Ranra, 70, who lost two grandsons in the floods, alleged that government officials and relief workers were only helping friends or relatives.
“I came here at 5 o’clock in the morning. I did my best. I begged and fought but got nothing. They’re giving relief goods to their people,” she said.
Private charity organisations were active in relief camps, providing succour to the displaced, while the government’s presence was conspicuous by its absence.
Many victims complained that government officials and bodes only swung into action when any dignitaries visited flood-hit areas.
Private organisations even set up health desks by hiring the services of doctors.
Two such doctors, Muhammad Irfan and Raees Zaidi, told PTI that waterborn diseases like cholera, diarrhoea and gastroenteritis are common among people living in relief camps.
“We have brought medicines that were purchased in large quantities on a self-help basis,” Zaidi said.
Many flood victims were unhappy with the government’s response and hundreds of people blocked a major road in flood-hit Nowshera district to protest at receiving little or no aid.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority today issued new flood warnings as more rains fell and rising water levels threatened to overwhelm Warsak and Tarbela dams in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
“If needed, forced evacuation will be started,” said Adnan Khan, a spokesman for the PDMA.
The worst floods witnessed in Pakistan in several decades have killed 1,500 people and affected 3.2 million people.
The flooding, which started almost a week ago, is likely to continue as more rains are expected.