By IANS,
Islamabad: Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari Thursday assured food, shelter and other amenities to the flood victims of the country’s Sindh province. Nearly five million people were affected, besides loss of property, crops and livestock.
Zardari, who made an overnight halt in the province’s Benazirabad town, toured the flood-hit areas of the district and promised emergency aid to the affected people, the official APP news agency reported.
Some four million acres of land were inundated, of which 1.7 million acres of standing crops were destroyed. Extensive damage were caused to banana, dates, chilli and sugarcane crops. Livestock and some 690,000 houses were destroyed.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah accompanied the president during his two-day visit of the province, ravaged by floods triggered by the incessant rains since July.
Zardari Wednesday made an aerial trip of the province and directed the authorities to ensure relief to farmers on a priority basis. Mirpur, Judho Kot, Ghulam Muhammad and Nohkot areas of the province were the worst hit.