Pakistan's Floods Head South, Villagers Forcibly Evacuated

In our top story we go to the efforts in Pakistan to help flood victims there. The UN has reported the deaths of at least 1,600 people, while Pakistan has called the floods the greatest calamity in history--and that they have now impacted 12 million people.
Evacuation and relief efforts continue in Pakistan on Friday after the country’s worst floods in 80 years. Rains are now headed towards the southern Sindh province.

Officials forcibly evacuated villagers in southern Punjab after they refused to leave their homes, which were inundated in water.

“People who own cattle are reluctant to move to relief camps. They have either left their families here (in the city) or with relatives. They refuse to leave their cattle back home.”

An elderly woman was among many who were forcibly rescued.

"I was not expecting such huge waters. It has devastated a wide area. I intended not to leave but they have sent me out by force. I don't know what will happen to my hens."

At least 300,000 people were displaced in the Layyah district.

The floodwaters have washed away about 12,000 houses, ravaged 82 revenue estates and destroyed standing crops on 250-thousand acres of agricultural land.

“As you know it is fertile land here and people mostly have farms. They have cattle. They totally depend on them for their livelihood. They were told of the floods beforehand. Some people evacuated, others preferred to stay with their cattle. It is their livelihood.”

While authorities have conducted evacuations, they are struggling with relief efforts.

The floods have already spread to Sindh, but more raging waters threaten to make things worse by Saturday.