Pakistan's PM visits flood-devastated province
STORY: In his first official tour of the flood-devastated province, Sharif took an aerial view of the worst-affected areas including Sukkur, Rohri, Khairpur, Faiz Ganj, Kot Diji and Thari Mirwah.
"The flood of 2010 was a very huge flood in our history but I feel that this flood has caused much greater havoc. There is extreme devastation all around. More than 900 people have died," he told reporters.
He said crops and livestock had been devastated and announced the immediate disbursement of Rs 25,000 (US $ 113.30) and free medical treatment to every household affected by the floods.
Historic monsoon rains and flooding in Pakistan have affected more than 30 million people over the last few weeks, the country's climate change minister said on Thursday (August 25), calling the situation a "climate-induced humanitarian disaster of epic proportions."
The destruction of infrastructure and breakdown in communication links adds to the difficulties faced by the authorities in rescue and relief efforts in the region.
Pakistan has called on the international community to help as it struggles to cope with the aftermath of torrential rains that have triggered massive floods, killing more than 900 people.
