Millions lack shelter after Pakistan floods focus 08/23/2010

Millions lack shelter after Pakistan floods

focus 08/23/2010 KARACHI — With entire towns and villages swallowed up by Pakistan’s devastating floods, experts say it could take years to solve a shelter crisis now facing up to 4.6 million people camped out under open skies. The catastrophic floods swamped a fifth of Pakistan — an area the size of England — and affected 20 million people in the country’s worst ever natural disaster with untold economic, social and political repercussions. “It is a huge task. It is large-scale devastation, which needs huge money and time to rebuild.... The scenario is bleak and our politicians don’t realize the gravity of the situation,” independent economist A.B. Shahid told AFP. “We need at least $3 billion just to rebuild huts and houses,” Shahid said. “And not less than $7 billion more to restore destroyed infrastructure, to build roads, bridges, canals and government offices.” The United Nations estimates 4.6 million people are still without shelter after the floods and has tripled to six million its target for assistance in the form of tents and plastic sheeting. Few words can express the misery. “Everything has been wasted. Nothing is left,” said Qasim Bhayyo, 45, a refugee from Qayyas Bhayyo village in one of the worst-hit parts of the southern province of Sindh, formerly known for rice crops and fish farms..... MORE Source:  The Daily Tribune URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20100823com5.html

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