Water-borne disease fears for survivors of Pakistan's deadly floods

The floods, triggered by torrential monsoon downpours, have engulfed Pakistan's Indus river basin, killing more than 1,600 people, forcing two million from their homes and disrupting the lives of 14 million people, or 8 per cent of the population.

At a hospital in Mingora, the main town in Swat valley, an official who asked not to be named said one case of cholera was confirmed. A German humanitarian organisation said there were also six suspected cases there.

An epidemic could create another disaster for Pakistan. A health crisis would tax aid agencies which are facing vast logistical challenges because of the damage and illness caused by the widespread flooding.

The United Nations is worried about water-borne diseases. There have been 36,000 suspected cases of potentially fatal acute watery diarrhoea reported so far.

"This is a growing concern.

"Therefore we are responding with all kinds of preventative as well as curative medication ... for outbreaks," Maurizio Giuliano, the UN humanitarian operation spokesman, said

Floods have roared down from the north-west to Punjab province to southern Sindh.

The United States is to donate $3 million to help establish 15 treatment centres for waterborne illnesses. In the Multan area of Punjab province, medical workers have seen at least 1,000 children with illnesses such as gastroenteritis in the last three days, said Mumtaz Hussain, a doctor at the main government hospital.

"The situation is alarming as the diseases can infect other survivors," Mr Hussain said.

The hospital is treating victims at its main facility but also has set up 12 medical camps in the area.

United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon is also expected to visit Pakistan this weekend to discuss the crisis.

Pakistan's overwhelmed government has been on the defensive after criticism of its response to one of the worst catastrophes in the country's history.

The military, which has ruled Pakistan for more than half of its history, has swung into action, confirming its position as the one national institution Pakistanis can rely upon.

In Punjab yesterday, the region dubbed Pakistan's bread basket, people scuffled over relief supplies.

Villages have been wiped away by the floods, leaving some with just a patch of land to stand on.Pakistanis remain at the mercy of the weather and fresh downpours could bring further destruction and displacement.

Residents of the city of Jacobabad in Sindh were taking no chances.

"Out of a population of 300,000, about 225,000 people have left for nearby cities and towns in the past few days," city administrator Kazim Jatoi said.

The waters were also threatening the nearby Shahbaz Airbase, he added.

Panic followed warnings that a major surge was heading there from a breach in an embankment along the Indus River.

World Bank president Robert Zoellick yesterday said on a visit to Latvia that the floods in Pakistan were likely to have destroyed crops worth around $1 billion. "All of us will have to pitch in to help," he told a news conference.

Floods have damaged about 700,000 hectares of crops, mainly rice, maize, cotton, and sugarcane, jeopardising the country's main exports, the United Nations' food agency said.

Prices for food still available in markets are soaring.

"Where will I get money from? Rob a bank? Carry out an armed robbery?" grumbled flood survivor Mehr Din, 55.