Canada issues travel warning for Pakistan amid heavy flooding: ‘Be very careful’ – National

The Government of Canada issued a new travel advisory for citizens traveling to Pakistan on Saturday as heavy flooding triggered by monsoon rains continues to wreak havoc across much of the South Asian country.

“There are certain safety and security issues or the situation could change quickly. Be very careful at all times, monitor local media and follow the instructions of local authorities,” the government said on its website.

Travelers are advised to « exercise a high degree of caution ».

On Saturday, Pakistani officials said floods had killed nearly 1,000 people and injured or displaced thousands more since mid-June.

The new death toll came a day after Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif requested international assistance to tackle deadly flood damage in the impoverished Islamic nation.

According to Government of Canada travel advisories, roads, bridges and other infrastructure were damaged, disrupting essential services in Pakistan. These include transport, water and food supply, telecommunications networks, emergency services and medical care.

Canada advises travelers to stay away from affected areas, including parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (PK), Sindh and Baluchistan, as well as monitor local news and weather reports and follow instructions from authorities local.

The monsoon season, which began in June, has hit Pakistan with particularly heavy rains this year and rescuers have struggled to evacuate thousands of stranded people from flood-hit areas. The crisis forced the government to declare a state of emergency.

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In northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, floods destroyed the gates of an important water control system on the Swat River, leading to flooding in Charsadda and Nowshera districts, said Sania Safi, a high-level administrator in Charsadda.

“We anticipated the situation and warned and forced the reluctant residents to leave their homes for safety reasons and go to relief camps set up in government buildings in safe locations,” she said.

Safi said there are fears of a further rise in the Swat and Kabul rivers, adding to the misery of residents who have already suffered loss of life and property.

In Nowshera district, local administrator Quratul Ain Wazir said floodwaters submerged the streets before the gushing waters flowed to low-lying areas.

« Our administration has evacuated many people and taken others to relief camps where government-provided beds and food are in secure buildings, » she said. « We will use the police to force those who hesitate to leave their homes. »

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Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb said soldiers and relief organizations were helping people get to safety in many districts in southern Sindh, northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, eastern Punjab and southwestern Balochistan.

“The government has authorized sufficient funds to financially compensate those affected and we will not leave our people alone at this difficult time,” she said.

Aurangzeb called on wealthy people and aid organizations to come to the aid of flood-affected Pakistanis.

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In response to Sharif’s appeal for international assistance, the United Nations has scheduled a flash appeal for $160 million for donations, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Asim Iftikhar. He said in his weekly briefing on Friday that the call would go out on August 30.

Thousands of people whose homes were swept away are now living in tents, miles from their flooded villages and towns, after being rescued by soldiers, local rescuers and volunteers, authorities said.

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The National Disaster Management Authority, in its latest overnight report, said 45 people were killed in flood-related incidents from Friday to Saturday.

Monsoon rains were expected to continue this week, mainly in the south and southwest. The season generally runs from July to mid-September in Pakistan.

– With files from the Associated Press