ISLAMABAD, Sept 10: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Saturday appealed to the nation as well as political and democratic forces to support the government’s efforts for relief and rehabilitation of the people affected by floods in Sindh.

In his address to the nation on TV and radio, the prime minister urged the international community to extend a helping hand for the flood-hit people. He appealed to political and democratic forces to cooperate with the government in helping the distressed people in Sindh by keep their political differences aside.

“Rains have caused 141 deaths, inundated over four million acres of land, displaced about four million people and damaged 700,000 houses,” he said.

“The country has faced many disasters in recent years, starting from the devastating 2005 earthquake in Azad Kashmir and northern areas. This was followed by the wave of terror in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the worst flood in the country’s history last year.”  He praised the nation for facing these challenges bravely and the armed forces, civil agencies and NGOs for utilising all possible resources for relief and rehabilitation efforts.

Mr Gilani lauded the support and assistance extended by the international community to offset the losses caused by the 2010 floods and said: “Today I am addressing you when torrential rains have caused widespread devastations in Sindh.”

President Asif Ali Zardari has already appealed to the international community through the United Nations for help in meeting the challenges posed by the floods in 21 districts of Sindh.

“The support of international community is unavoidable,” Mr Gilani said. “The affected people are living under the open sky.

International relief and donor agencies should pay immediate attention in this regard.”

The prime minister expressed the confidence that the international community would consider “our request sympathetically and extend support to save precious lives and early rehabilitation of the affected people”.

He said the recent rain in Sindh was 142 per cent more than the average rain in the region and initially hit Badin, Mirpur Khas, Tando Muhammad Khan and Tando Allahyar districts. The second spell of rain caused severe devastation in Benazirabad, Umarkot, Khairpur, Jamshoro, Naushero Feroze and Tharparkar districts.

About 4,000 relief camps have been set up.

“We are utilising all possible resources for relief efforts and all tent manufacturers in country have been asked to produce 100,000 more tents in three weeks,” the prime minister said, adding that 100,000 ration packs would be distributed daily among the flood victims.