Over 200 people dead and five million others displaced in Pakistan's Heavy floods

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Heavy monsoon rains and flash floods have left more than 182 people dead and over five million others displaced in Pakistan's southern province of Sindh.

According to a statement released by the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), 31 children and 79 women were among the dead. The initial survey conducted by the PDMA said that only 200,000 affected people were residing in official relief camps.

Meanwhile, people have held demonstrations in many rain-hit areas of the province in protest against the non-provision of relief goods and lack of facilities at the relief camps.

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday urged the international community to provide humanitarian and rehabilitation assistance for the rain and flood victims.

In the remote areas of Pakistan's Sindh Province, relief efforts are hampered by bad weather, making airborne rescue missions impossible.

Roads are cut off and local residents are said to be in desperate need of assistance, food, drinking water and shelter.

Pakistan was hit by the worst floods in the country's history last year. More than 1,750 people died in the disaster. An estimated 18 million people were affected by the floods, according to Oxfam aid organization.

One year after the floods, more than 800,000 families remain without permanent shelter and more than a million people remain in need of food assistance.

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