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GV Prime Minister Bhutto's helicopter over flooded areas (6 shots)
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2.
SV Bhutto out of helicopter
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3.
SV Villagers
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LV & SV Bhutto touring flooded areas (2 shots)
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5.
AERIAL VIEW Sialkot area (3 shots)
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AERIAL VIEWS OF FLOODS: BHUTTO AND VILLAGERS.




Initials BB/0130 RJ/JB/BB/0140



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Widespread flooding has destroyed crops in eleven of the 19 districts of Pakistan. Worst hit is the Punjab where about one million acres (400,000 hectares) of land... half of them under cultivation ... are under water.

The floods are caused by the swollen Ravi and Chenab Rivers whose catchment areas are in the Indian controlled Kashmir. At last report the rivers were reported to be receding, but the Pakistan Government has warned that further rainfalls in the territory will bring more flooding.

The Pakistan Prime Minister, Ali Bhutto toured the flood affected areas on Wednesday (23 July) with officials of the Flood Relief Ministry. The Government has promised aid to the homeless and farmers who have lost their crops and stock.

At least 14 people are known to have died in the flood waters. Several thousand have lost their homes and army engineers have been airlifted into the area to build levees to stop the floodwaters spreading.