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Devastated by the worst floods to hit the country in more than 80 years, Pakistanis are lashing out against their government for failing to mount an effective rescue and relief operation. The aid organization UNICEF says that the death toll is at least 1,400, with up to three million people affected. With tens of thousands still stranded, without sustenance or shelter, anger is being focused on a government perceived to be doing little to alleviate the suffering — or prevent more even as new rains are expected. Many of the survivors are exhibiting symptoms of diarrhea, cholera and other waterborne ailments, conditions that will test the capacity of medical teams in the days ahead.



A common criticism is that there was little preparation for natural catastrophes in the first place. When the floods hit, only five helicopters could be dispatched to scour the affected areas for rescue. Later, the army stepped in, raising the total fleet to a much needed though still inadequate 30 choppers. But even with this larger number in operation, a handful of helicopters were diverted to transport camera crews to film soldiers plunging into high waters to rescue survivors. "To be sure, the public across the country needs to be kept informed of events in the area," said an editorial in Dawn, the leading English-language daily, "but operating in an under-resourced environment requires everything, not least helicopters, as efficiently as possible."


"Whatever Zardari does is useless, there are thousands stuck all over the Swat Valley, there's no food, no medicines, no water. He's relying on the army. But this isn't the army's job. He should be leading rescue efforts," says Min Hajiuddin, 37, a resident of the devastated region.

Though the scale of the disaster could not have been foreseen, the predictions of heavy monsoon rains appear to have spurred no action. There are early flood warning systems in place that have a history of flooding, but no new systems were installed in vast stretches of the Taliban-infested northwest, where floods are less common and which are now being devastated. Angry residents who have managed to wade their way to dry land, clutching their children and whatever possessions they could gather, said that they should have been told to evacuate earlier. A simple measure that could have eased their journey would have been a supply of ready lifeboats in different districts. In the event of the disaster, the authorities have only been able to provide 170 boats.

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