Friday, August 20, 2010

KP holds donor conference for flood aid

ISLAMABAD: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's (KP) donor conference was held in Islamabad on Friday to brief the international community about the devastation caused by the worst floods in the history of Pakistan.

Aid worth Rs. 200 billion was asked for to compensate losses.

Envoys from Muslim countries, the European Union, United States, China and other countries attended the conference. Representatives of the British High Commission, Islamic Development, World Bank and USAID were also present.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti briefed on flood destruction in the province.

“A flood commission has been set up for the rehabilitation of flood victims. We need more international aid at the earliest because the militants can take advantage of the delay in reconstruction and rehabilitation of flood devastation,” said KP CM Hoti.

Iran tests new missile with sharper targeting systems

TEHRAN: Iran's defence minister says military forces have successfully test-fired a missile with enhanced guidance systems to hit ground targets.

Gen. Ahmad Vahidi did not say when or where the test was carried out.

But Vahidi's comments come a day before the startup operations at the Bushehr nuclear power plant in southern Iran and could raise Western fears about another advance in Iran's missile arsenal, which already can target Israel and other parts of the region.

Vahidi told worshippers ahead of Friday prayers at Tehran University that the liquid-fueled missile, named Qiam-1, has an improved targeting system to strike with higher precision.

Manchar Lake swamps with flood water

DADU: Water level in Manchar Lake, the largest sweet water lake located north of the province, has reached a dangerous level posing threat to thousands of residents in the adjoining towns of Sehwan, Johi, Bubak, Bhan Syedaba and Talti.

Situated near Dadu on the Right Bank Canal, Manchar Lake has submerged as the water level reached an alarming level. It threatens to overflow and inundate vast areas, including some historic towns lying in the path of the water.

People said that the 1976 Manchar Lake overflow resulted in floods that created a breach in the embankment which inundated the Indus Highway.

On the other hand, 80 percent of the 352 villages situated near safety embankments are completely inundated in Thatta. Almost 80,000 people have been evacuated from the affected areas.

According to the control room, water flow of 625,000 cusecs was recorded in Kotri Barrage that inundated the nearby town of Jamshoro.

Chief Engineer Kotri Barrage Manzoor Ahmed told SAMAA that 800,000 cusecs water is expected to flow from Kotri Barrage on August 22.

Efforts are also made to save Sehwan Sharif where flood water has entered, and can potentially destroy historic places.