10 million without shelter in Pakistan floods: UN

PAKISTAN'S devastating floods have left 10 million people without shelter, the United Nations said Tuesday, as authorities rushed to bolster river defences to save two towns from catastrophe.

"According to new estimates following the most recent flooding in Sindh... at least 10 million people are currently without shelter," said Maurizio Giuliano, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs spokesman.

He said the floods in Pakistan had become "one of the worst humanitarian disasters in UN history, in terms of number of people that we have to assist and also the area covered."

Giuliano's assessment was echoed by Valerie Amos, the new UN humanitarian chief, who arrived in Pakistan Tuesday.

"The floods here in Pakistan have affected almost 21 million people — it is one of the biggest humanitarian crises the world has seen," said Amos, who takes over from UN John Holmes.

River defences in Pakistan's flood-hit south were bolstered Tuesday in a bid to save two towns from catastrophic flooding, six weeks after monsoons caused devastating floods in the country's worst disaster in living memory.

Advancing floodwaters continue to threaten the towns of Johi and Dadu in Sindh province, with 19 of its 23 districts deluged and 2.8 million people displaced, according to provincial authorities.

"Armed forces and irrigation officials are racing against time to save Johi and Dadu," said provincial irrigation minister Jam Saifullah Dharejo. "Floodwaters are increasing pressure on Johi embankment, while the raging waters are just 5km away from Dadu city," Dharejo said.

Dadu and Johi are about 320 kilometres north of the main southern port city of Karachi.AFP