Ghari Kheru, Dist. Jacobabad, Aug 19, 2010.
A query from Lahore the other day about whether the town of Jacobabad was submerged got me on the phone with friends to inquire. Fortunately, it was just a rumour. But in the process, I got information that had to be used… hence this feature, published in The News today.
Floods turn the world’s hottest place into an island
Beena Sarwar
Jacobabad is famous for being one of the hottest places in the world with temperatures reaching up to 52°C in summer, April-Sept. This year, the unprecedented floods in Pakistan have done nothing to cool things down for this colonial town. Temperatures in Jacobabad district, on the border of Sindh and Balochistan, remain excruciatingly high despite floodwaters submerging surrounding areas.
Jacobabad area map showing flooded area in red.
The old town of Jacobabad, founded in 1947 by a British General John Jacob, is for now at least a virtual island, accessible only by boat despite its distance from the river. Gen. Jacob, commandant of the Sindh Horse for years, died and was buried here in 1858. Today the Victorian tower erected in his memory watches over an almost abandoned town. Continue reading
Filed under: Floods | Tagged: alyssa milano, Aman Foundation, flood relief, floods, Gen John Jacob, Jacobabad, Nadir Magsi, NGOs, Pakistan, Sindh Rural Support, tweeting for flood relief | 2 Comments »
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