In the flood Pakistan Where an unprecedented monsoon has killed hundreds, downpours now threaten a famous 4,500-year-old archaeological site, the site’s lead official said on Tuesday.
Ruins of Mohenjo Daro – located in southern Sindh province near the Indus River and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is considered one of the best-preserved urban settlements in South Asia. They were discovered in 1922 and to this day, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of its civilization, coincides with the civilizations of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.
The bulging waters of the Indus, a major river in this part of the world, were ravaged by heavy and heavy rains flood wreaked havoc across much of Pakistan. At least 1,343 people have been killed and millions left homeless in the surge, with many experts blaming unusually heavy monsoon rains for climate change.
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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he would fly to Pakistan on Wednesday to express solidarity with the people and “call for the immense support of the international community for the people of Pakistan, in this hour of silence.” needed after the terrible flood we are witnessing. He said floods as a result of climate change are “accelerating the destruction of our planet,” warning: “Today is Pakistan. Tomorrow it could be anywhere else.”
Ahsan Abbasi, who is in charge of the site, said the floods did not directly affect Mohenjo Daro but the record rains did cause damage to the ruins of the ancient city.
“Some of the great walls, built nearly 5,000 years ago, have collapsed because of monsoon rains,” Abbasi told the Associated Press.
He said dozens of construction workers under the supervision of archaeologists have begun repair work. Abbasi did not provide an estimate of the cost of the damage at Mohenjo Daro.
The “Buddhist stupa” – a large hemispherical structure associated with worship, meditation and burial – remains intact, Abbasi said. But the downpour damaged some of the outer walls and some of the larger walls separating individual rooms or chambers.
Abbasi said the civilization at Mohenjo Daro, also known as the “Mound of the Dead” in the local Sindhi language, built an elaborate drainage system, which was important during floods in the past. .
Although the floods have reached the whole of Pakistan, Sindh province remains one of the worst affected.
On Monday, army engineers cut a second causeway at Lake Manchar, Pakistan’s largest freshwater lake, to release rising water in the hope of saving the nearby city of Sehwan from massive flooding.
Water from the lake has flooded dozens of nearby villages, forcing hundreds of families to rush out of their shacks, many fleeing in panic.
Meanwhile, rescue operations continued on Tuesday with troops and volunteers using helicopters and boats to bring those trapped out of the flooded areas and to the nearest relief camps. Tens of thousands of people have been living in such camps, and thousands more have taken shelter on the sidewalks of higher ground.
Ghulam Sabir, 52, on the outskirts of Sehwan, said on Tuesday that he left home three days ago after authorities asked them to evacuate.
“I took my family members and got here… safer,” said Sabir, by the side of the road where he had set up camp. He echoed the complaints of some other villagers – that no government help had reached them yet.
Sabir said he didn’t know if his house would collapse.
Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif urged Pakistanis in a televised address on Tuesday to generously donate to flood victims, most of whom are relying on government help to survive. Sharif has also repeatedly asked the international community to send more aid to flood victims. He emphasized that Pakistan is facing tragedy caused by climate change.
In a statement on Tuesday, the UN refugee agency said it had handed over thousands of tents and other emergency supplies to the Sindh government, for those affected by flood-affected areas. floods in the province.
Many experts say that since 1959, Pakistan has emitted about 0.4% of the heat-trapping carbon dioxide, compared with 21.5% for the United States and 16.4% for China. Last week, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also called on the world to stop sleepwalking in order to overcome the crisis. He plans to visit the flooded areas on September 9.
According to Pakistani officials, Guterres will travel to Sindh but it is unclear whether he will visit the archaeological site.
© 2022 Canadian Press
