Pakistani journalist reporting on deadly floods while neck-deep in water goes viral
By Rebecca Moon
A viral video shows a Pakistani anchor reporting on the country’s deadly flooding while submerged up to his neck in water.
In a clip shared to Twitter by @anuragamitabh, the anchor can be seen clinging onto a nearby rock with one hand while holding a microphone in the other. As he reports on the floods in Pakistan, only his head and arms can be seen as he continues to drift away with the flood’s current.
The video has garnered over 34,500 views since being uploaded on Saturday.
Record monsoon rains and flooding in Pakistan have left at least 1,033 people dead, including 348 children, since mid-June. Around 1,527 people have been injured, and at least 33 million have been affected by the disaster, reported officials on Sunday per CNN.
“Pakistan is going through its eighth cycle of monsoon while normally the country has only three to four cycles of rain,” Pakistan’s Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman stated on Thursday per CNN. “The percentages of super flood torrents are shocking.”
Rehman stated on Monday that a third of Pakistan is flooded, describing the situation as similar to a dystopian film.
“When we send in water pumps, they say ‘Where do we pump the water?’ It’s all one big ocean, there’s no dry land to pump the water out,” Rehman told AFP.
Rehman added that damage assessment after the flood may take some time and predicted that the country’s economy will be badly affected by the crisis.
“Sindh is half of Pakistan’s breadbasket and will not be able to grow anything at all next season,” she said. “Not only will our exports be impacted, but our food security will take a hit.”
The army was deployed to assist flood-stricken areas with relief and rescue missions while flood relief centers are being established to provide victims with transportation and relief goods. Victims are also being provided with shelter, meals and medical care.
The International Monetary Fund board is holding a meeting later on Monday to approve a $6 billion loan program, although the situation may require much more to repair damages following the floods.
Featured Image via Twitter
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