PAKISTAN- Disease outbreaks pose new risks to victims of Pakistan's worst floods in decades, aid agencies said on Friday, potentially hindering already complicated relief efforts. 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 about 14 million people, or 8 per cent of the population. Although waters have receded in some areas, fresh rains could bring new destruction, and a health crisis would tax aid agencies already facing huge logistical challenges. The United Nations is increasingly concerned about water-borne diseases. There are 36,000 suspected cases of potentially fatal acute watery diarrhea reported so far At least 96 health facilities have been damaged across the country. "This is a growing concern. Therefore we are responding with all kinds of preventative as well as curative medication... for outbreaks," said Maurizio Giuliano, the UN humanitarian operation spokesman told Reuters. The floods have roared down from the northwest to the Punjab agricultural heartland to the southern Sindh province, where new floods are possible. The UN's World Food Progamme said there have been reports of diarrhea but the problem was not widespread, although it's still cause for concern. "The situation is alarming," spokesman Amjad Jamal said. The deluge, which began two weeks ago, has caused extensive damage to the country's main crops, agriculture officials said, after the United Nations appealed for $459 million in emergency aid and warned of a wave of deaths if help didn't arrive. Increasing desperation could lead to social unrest and pile more pressure on the government, which has already been heavily criticized for its perceived lackluster response to the floods, unlike the powerful military which swung into action. "There is a huge need for food. All over the country crowds are in need of food," said Giuliano.
