France gives $1.4 m for Pakistan flood affectees

PARIS: France will grant $1.39 million (1.05 million euros) in aid to the severely-flooded regions of Pakistan, the French foreign ministry has said.

”France decided to increase to 1.05 million euros its humanitarian aid for populations affected by floods in Pakistan,” meida quoted the ministry as saying in a statement.

The aid would be distributed to many humanitarian organisations working in Pakistan, including a 350,000-euro food aid through the World Food Programme.

Heavy rains over the recent weeks have caused one of the worst flood situations in Pakistan, leaving over 1,500 people dead and over three million homeless.

Geo blocked over news of shoe hurling at Zardari

KARACHI: The transmission of Geo News has been blocked overnight in various parts of country after it aired news regarding hurling of shoes at President Zardari during his party address in Birmingham, Geo News reported cable operators sources as saying.

Meanwhile, many offices of cable operators in Karachi have been set ablaze by angry activists of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).

Some of PPP’s leaders and government officials have issued threats and warnings to cable operators across country against continuation of Geo News transmission, pressurizing them to shut Geo News transmission but most cable operators refused to do so, sources said.

However, a private company namely World Call and another one by the name KMPC blocked Geo News signals as late as 2am in morning.

Newspapers’ vendors have been robbed of copies of Jang and Thenews newspapers upon direction of President Asif Ali Zardari and Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira from London, besides, the PPP workers were accompanied by police officials in posing threats to cable operators and hawkers, sources told media.

Following the blockage, a large number of people registered a massive protest against closure of Geo News transmission across country and rampage, arson and riots triggered by workers of PPP, sources said.

Meanwhile, many a Geo News’ workers have decided to register a protest against government in reaction against blockage of Geo News transmission over keeping people updated with facts and truths.

People and Geo News employees have resolved staging a massive string of demonstrations against stoppage of Geo News transmission and burning of Jang and Thenews newspapers by PPP workers, sources said.

The Demos will be staged outside President House, Prime Minister House, in front of Oman Embassy in Islamabad, outside CM, Governor Houses, Press Clubs and offices of cable operators all over country.

Most copies of Jang and Thenews newspapers have been burnt to ashes after robbing them of hawkers at gunpoint in Karachi.

A meeting of journalists, and Geo News employees has been convened in this connection, which will decide further course of action over this issue, journalists told Geo News.

People were of the view that Geo/Jang Group is being penalized over revealing of facts and speaking the truth. They said the ruling elite is angry over reporting of news regarding controversial visit of president Zardari in face of worst floods in country.

President was not only being criticized in country but international media were also grilling him due to massive human crisis in country while he refused to call off his UK visit.

Indus River protective wall near Bhong breaches

SADIQABAD: A protective embankment at River Sindh near Bhong in Sadiqabad breached, allowing the flood tide to make headway to the residence areas, Geo News reported Sunday.

The residents of rural areas in Sadiqbad and Obaro have kick-started mass exodus. According to DCO Rahim Yar Khan Ahmed Javed Qazi, the flood torrents from Bhong, will, raging through Punjab villages, enter Sindh, where announcements are being made from the mosques for people to evacuate to the safer places.

Ahmed Javed Qazi said the administration called back the people tasked to take part in the relief activities in Bhong with 85 percent population in areas abutting protective embankment, evacuated to safe areas.

High flooding has hit Head Khanki and Head Qadirabad at River Chenab after inflow of torrent of 350,000 cusecs.

At least 20 villages were deluged, as protective embankment of Kala Shadian near Qadirabad caved in.

The people living near embankment of the river near Khangarh and Jhang Road in Muzaffargarh, started evacuation after the river surged.

The hundreds of people are still marooned in the floodwater in katchi abadis near Bhong of Sadiqabad with huge pressure from floodwater in Mud Ranjha, Ehsanpur, Bangla Dilkusha, Bangla Achha and Bangli Samka.

The water is persistently amassing at Trimu Headworks in District Jhang, as over 200 villages of four tehsils in Jhang have come under floodwater and crops covering vast swathes of 150,000 acres were completely destroyed.

Population of over 150,000 heads in Rajanpur Tehsil of Jampur is still water-locked for the third consecutive day today.

The protective bund of Kot Mithan Kot crumbled, inundating the mausoleum of Hazrat Khawja Ghulam Farid.

Thousands Driven From Homes by Floods, Death Toll Increases From 24

Thousands Driven From Homes by Floods, Death Toll Increases From 24, Days of heavy rains in Peru brought continued landslides and flooding in the regions of Ayacucho, Cuzco and Puno, driving hundreds out of their homes.
In Ayacucho, around 100 homes were damaged when the Huantachaca River flowed over its banks and into a neighborhood. Locals crossed a precarious bridge while muddy water blasted the pillars. Roads and homes in the town of Huanta were full of water, mud and debris after the river ran into neighborhoods. I have been trying to bail the water out of my house since three in the morning. Twenty people helped me but I was not able to do it, a resident told. Families walked amongst the rubble of crumbled walls and tried to pull what belongings they could from homes. Local newspapers are reporting the wettest rainy season in 15 years. Thousands of tourists have been trapped at Machu Picchu, but other parts of the Cuzco region have also been hit hard by the rains, with some 13,000 affected by the floods and at least 24 dead. In Zurite in Cuzco, roads were washed out and farmers tried to move their animals to higher ground.

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Thousands Driven From Homes by Floods, Death Toll Increases From 24 was first posted on January 30, 2010 at 4:02 pm.