Rush of Floodwaters (700,000 cubic feet per second) Threatens Southern Pakistan

[Turborama]

Source: NYT

By CARLOTTA GALL -
Published: August 20, 2010 -

MULTAN, Pakistan — Surging waters are shifting flood damage southward in Pakistan, as the water level rises at one of the main flood barriers north of the city of Hyderabad, officials said Friday.

The next 2 days will be critical for the city’s 1.5 million people, but embankments strengthened over the last 10 days offer some protection, said an officer at the flood control room there, who gave his name as Major Ehsan. “We have done a lot of work, making sandbags and stone pitches to build up the embankments,” he said.

The Indus River, which has flooded five to seven miles beyond its banks, is flowing at a rate of over 700,000 cubic feet per second, he said, and is expected to rise to 800,000 cubic feet per second in the next 24 hours at the flood barrier, called the Kotri barrage, he said. “If the water coming does not exceed that, we will be able to pass through this,” he said.

Villages upriver are still being inundated, and although most of the population has been evacuated from low-lying areas, the military was still getting phone calls from people stranded in their homes, and was sending out rescue boats, he said.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/21/world/asia/21pstan.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

---

Flood victims fled the areas under water in the Sindh Province in Pakistan on Friday.



Please check my Journal for related articles, satellite pics, photos and videos (there's a lot in there now so the archives are actually recent additions): http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Turborama

[OhioChick]

1. Is the media picking up on any of this, yet?

K&R

[Turborama]

2. NYT seem to be doing a good job

I'm not up to date on how it's being covered on TV in the States, though.

Al Jazeera English can be watched live for free here...

Low qual for slower connections: http://english.aljazeera.net/watch_now/

High qual for normal connections: http://www.livestation.com/channels/3-al-jazeera-english-english

Program schedule: http://english.aljazeera.net/Services/Schedule/ProgramSchedule.aspx



ETA It's worth checking the schedule to see when the news hours are on. The show that's on right now is a really interesting look at America's economy.

The other shows they have are well worth watching, too.

Uploaded shows: http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/


Their website is regularly updated, though: http://english.aljazeera.net/focus/floodofmisery/

[elleng]

5. BBT World News is.

[Scruffy1]

7. They seem more interested in fake controversy

over some mosque somewhere that no one gives a dam about.

[Turborama]

8. MSNBC have (Link to Video)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x497191

[bluesmail]

3. If it wasn't for sites like DU (YaY) I doubt I'd have much important

(to me) newsworthy information. But being the political animal that I am, it was inevitable. :fistbump:

[sabrina 1]

6. It's shocking isn't it though that the MSM covers such

trash as the latest whine from the teabaggers, but a story like this, one of the most important in terms of the effects it will have, they ignore.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. K&R. Everytime you think it can't possibly get worse...

This is incredibly painful to watch, especially since there's no end in sight and they desperately need so much more help than they're getting. It's a forgotten tragedy. Thank you for keeping us informed... ;( :hi:

[Turborama]

9. And yet

Someone felt the need to pop in and unrec this thread. :wtf:

You're welcome. I wish I could say it was my pleasure doing this work to help keep everyone informed, but it's actually breaking my heart.

:hi:

[Rhiannon12866]

11. It doesn't just happen to you...

There appear to be lurkers here whose only raison d'etre seems to be to unrec threads. I've seen it happen and heard it mentioned, over and over. Guess it's one stealth way to get your message across without the effort of expressing yourself and getting cast out... x(

And, as we know, this board is heavily FReeped. They don't have enough pressing business of their own. I know; I used to post there. :evilgrin:

The vast majority of us appreciate your efforts. So thank you for keeping us informed. :yourock:

Rhiannon :hi:

[ensho]

10. the economy of Pakistan has been destroyed

the people are in terrible straights

its an awful feeling watching it happen