Pakistan struggling to stop biggest lake from bursting (VIDEOS)
Tuesday, 6 September 2022 (11:24 IST)
Islamabad: Pakistan authorities are struggling to contain their biggest lake from bursting its banks after a last-ditch attempt to drain it failed.
Water levels in Manchar Lake, in southeastern Sindh province that contributes half of the country's food supply, rose to dangerously high levels after days of record monsoon rains.
The attempt to breach it displaced up to 100,000 people from their homes, a BBC report said.
Floods in Pakistan have affected some 33 million people and killed at least 1,314, including 458 children, Pakistan's National Disaster Management Agency said.
Estimates suggest the floods have caused at least $10 billion of damage.
On Sunday, officials breached the lake after it had flooded two rural towns, in hopes that it would prevent it from further bursting its banks and inundating more densely-populated areas.
But the move risked affecting an estimated 400 villages - a total of 135,000 people - who would be left without homes. Officials told villagers to evacuate at the weekend.
On Monday however, officials said water levels at the lake had remained dangerously high.
Floods in #Pakistan playing havoc. Tens of thousands evacuated from Dadu Sindh where Water level in Manchar Lake, the biggest fresh water lake in country is rising. It’s a climate emergency in ???????? where people are facing monsoon on steroids. #FloodsInPakistan2022@UNOCHA@UNpic.twitter.com/akRmdXCIuf
Pakistan produces less than 1 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions but its geography makes it extremely vulnerable to climate change, the BBC report added. (UNI)
