ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 14 (UPI) -- An outbreak of waterborne diseases in flood-ravaged Pakistan could lead to more deaths and challenge relief activities, authorities say.
U.N. spokesman Maurizio Giuliano said a lack of clean drinking water for flood victims is raising concerns amid reports of rising cases of acute diarrhea, malaria and skin diseases, The Wall Street Journal reported Saturday.
Around 36,000 cases of diarrhea have been reported across the flood affected areas as communities remain cut off and people have only contaminated water to drink for their survival, Giuliano said.
"We need to arrange for clean drinking water on an emergency basis, otherwise we will have a second wave of deaths," he said.
The death toll in the floods that started two weeks ago in the northwest of the country stands at more than 1,500, authorities said.
Caused by unprecedented monsoon rains, the floods have affected 13 million people in an area covering about one third of Pakistan.
