Around 1 million people left homeless by massive flooding were facing a potential cholera outbreak and poisonous snakes slithering through the muddy waters, relief officials said on Tuesday. Floods caused by a cyclone and rain since June 23 had left nearly 220 people dead, a senior relief official said on Monday, but unofficial estimates are considerably higher. An assessment by five foreign aid agencies described a growing number of skin and stomach ailments among the victims in Balochistan, many of whom were living under open sky and drinking polluted water from rivers.
“Some of the villages where we went yesterday had a bad smell. We learned that a lot of livestock was buried under the mud. This is particularly dangerous because of the potential for it to lead to a cholera outbreak,” said Gul Wali Khan of Catholic Relief Services in a statement. “Some of the community members are living under open sky, under the shade of trees. The rains have started and these people are completely exposed with monsoon just around the corner,” said Khan.
The relief agencies planned to provide plastic sheets and bamboo poles for temporary shelter since tents were unsuitable in the extreme summer heat. Oxfam, Save the Children, Concern, and Church World Service were also involved in the assessment.
Balochistan Deputy Relief Commissioner Ali Gul Kurd however said that there were no reports of any disease epidemics despite the large region flooded since Cyclone Yemyin hit a week ago.