NEWS: Update Hundreds Missing, Over 500 Dead in Pakistani Dam Accident

The Shakidor Dam in southwestern Pakistan has burst near the remote village of Pasni, flooding the area and claiming 54 lives so far. Hundreds of villagers are still missing but officials are unsure if they were able to escape to the mountains or swept away. Heavy rains in the region are to blame for the dam burst.



Pakistan is just another country facing destructive flooding and heavy rains this season. Locals say this year's rain and snow is the heaviest in seven years. Pakistan joins other countries and areas such as the Middle East, and South America which are experiencing signs of global climate change. Also to note, an avalanche in the mountainous regions of Pakistan claimed the lives of 30 or so soldiers.



[edit on 2-15-2005 by worldwatcher]

Death Toll now stands at 360 with at least a thousand still missing:
ap.tbo.com...

As in every weather disaster lately the "heaviest in years" or "worst in years" comments seems to stick out at me.

All together there is more than 2000 missing and 40.000 homeless

"More than 2,000 people were missing, while 40,000 had lost their homes in Lasbella, Gwadar, Khuzdar, Awaran, Ketch and Panjgoor districts"

"And more rain and snowfall is forecast for the north next week"

[edit on 2005/2/13 by Hellmutt]

Death Toll unfortunately has risen:
Number Killed in Pakistan's Torrential Rain and Snow Rises Above 500

Pakistan (AP) - A week of torrential rain and heavy snow in Pakistan has left more than 500 people dead, including dozens buried under avalanches and more killed when a dam burst, an official said Tuesday
Snow and landslides blocked roads to hard-hit areas and hampered relief efforts in Pakistan's northwest, where 260 people were killed, Relief Commissioner Ghulam Farooq said.

Storms have destroyed 2,400 homes, damaged 3,700 more and killed hundreds of livestock. The provincial government has released $1 million for district authorities to buy relief supplies.

Meanwhile, relief efforts continued in southwestern Baluchistan province, where thousands of troops have been mobilized to help displaced villagers, and the United Nations has pledged $100,000 for food, shelter and safe water.

Authorities in Baluchistan's capital, Quetta, have reported about 200 flooding and snow deaths across the province, including dozens killed when a dam burst. Up to 1,500 more people are missing.

They will have to update the wanted-poster of Osama with a picture of Santa Claus, if he is hiding in that area...

hellmutt you just took the thought right out of my mind, I was just wondering to myself, what if Osama got washed away or buried in an avalanche.

something to be said about great minds

I will make my contsistant point that the world is overcrowded and the density of pakistani villages show it....

if the same thing had happened in a comparable part of the midwest...
we might have lost 3 families and half a dozen mobile homes...
hardly worth the evening news mention...

people need to spread out, and stop breeding so dang fast... and these kind of tragedys could be moderated heavily...

think about it...high population density in citys will be weak links for floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, plague, famine, drought, waste disposal, blah blahde blah... all the way to the end ....

less density means less danger.... more elbow room... we need to rethink the whole "city" thing...
for those not familiar... Oklahoma is a good example... a city of a million people spread over 50 square miles... lots of breathing room, and very few areas of high density... i can reach anywhere in less than 30 minites (even during traffic)
the bombing that happened here killed less than 200 people... if it had happened in NYC... at least 2,000 would have died... and there is LOTS of open land in the world to spread out in (and very habitable as well) ...


[edit on 15-2-2005 by LazarusTheLong]