‘How I escaped the Pakistan floods’

telegraph.co.uk:

hit the country, the world’s fifth most populous, this summer following months of extreme weather conditions.The fallout is devastating: one third of the country’s districts have declared a calamity; dengue fever cases are soaring, a result of the rising numbers of mosquitoes; disease is rife due to sewage contamination; and now cobras and other venomous snakes are emerging from the waters – more than 130 snake bites have been reported, and there is a dangerous lack of antivenom medicines.On top of all that are fears of a hunger crisis, with cotton fields, crops and 800,000 cattle washed away, the income source of rural families.

Officials estimate that the cost to the economy could be £35 billion.So what of the families who survived? Many fled to dry land but, having lost their homes, belongings and livelihoods, are now struggling to survive in the makeshift huts they constructed on roadsides using scrap material.

Photojournalist Zoral Naik travelled to Jacobabad, the world’s hottest city (where temperatures hit 51C in May) and one of those worst affected by monsoon rains, and surrounding areas to meet the displaced families and hear their remarkable but heartbreaking stories.Lives in Shikarpur with his wife Simpul Wali, their four daughters (Ala Rakhi, Ala Deeni, Ala Warai and Ala Bachai) and three sons (Siraj, Miraj and Asrar)It was 11pm when I realised that the flood water was dangerously high and started fearing for my young children.

I tried to block it but soon the water was 2ft deep indoors, while outside in the street it was waist-high. My house is made of raw bricks and I was concerned that the roof could collapse in the rains and rough winds.The first thing I thought of evacuating was the Quran, then my kids..