AlQa'dah 27, 1433, Oct 13, 2012, SPA - The United Nations on Friday appealed for more donations to support relief efforts following Pakistani floods that have affected 5 million people, killed 400, ruined tens of thousands of homes and large agricultural areas, and left hundreds of thousands living in camps. “In some areas, people stranded in floodwaters are still being rescued by boats to safe places," U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) spokesman Jens Laerke told a news briefing in Geneva. “The immediate needs are on food, emergency shelter, ... water, and sanitation and hygiene services." In addition, the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) said Friday it needs contributions from international donors, with a total goal of $29 million. For the third consecutive year, severe monsoon flooding has affected millions of people who already were suffering from high food prices, malnutrition, and poverty. In the five worst-affected districts of Sindh and Balochistan, between 1.2 million and 1.3 million people are estimated to be in need of food assistance, the WFP said.
