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Thursday 11 September 2014

FLOOD DISASTER IN INDIA AND PAKISTAN - RAGE

Partially submerged buildings in Srinagar

Houses submerged by the flood
There is mounting anger in Indian-administered Kashmir amid accusations that the government has acted too slowly in the flood crisis.
Many homes and even hospitals in the capital Srinagar are submerged but patchy communication means people do not know if their loved ones are safe.
Across the border in Pakistan the authorities are preparing to battle rising rivers threatening Multan city.
The death toll in the two countries has passed 450 and is growing by the day.
On Monday the authorities breached another strategic dyke in flood-affected Punjab to ease pressure on flood defences downstream and protect urban areas.
More than 700,000 villagers have been forced to flee their homes. Much of the water is reaching Pakistan from Indian-administered Kashmir, where flood levels are now falling.
Floods caused by monsoon rains are an annual event in South Asia and a series of dams on major rivers are aimed at protecting urban areas in particular from being hit by floods.
There have been reports of residents pelting soldiers with stones, but army officials told local media that they understood that people were desperate and rescue work would continue unabated.
People in the area have complained to local media of a delayed response, accusing the government of not appreciating the severity of the disaster early enough, failing to provide regular briefings and insufficient rescue boats.

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