Disease fears

NDMA spokesman Ahmed Kamal said: "There can be further devastation as we are expecting two major peaks in the Indus system.

He said places downstream of the Kotri barrage - a flood barrier in Sindh - and areas on either side of the Taunsa barrage in Punjab were likely to take the brunt of this surge.

President Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani are reported to have held an emergency meeting on Thursday night to review the government's much-criticised response.

Mr Zardari made his first visit to the disaster zone on Thursday in an effort to defuse public anger over his handling of the flooding. He toured a relief camp at Sukkur in Sindh.

Opposition politicians said the trip by the president - who was widely condemned at home for pressing ahead with a trip to Europe while the floods crisis unfolded - was too little, too late.

Mr Zardari will now visit affected areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces on Independence Day on Saturday, a presidential spokesman has said.

The spokesman said that in view of the crisis, "no Independence Day celebrations will be held in the presidency this year".

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on Saturday and will hold talks with officials and visit flood-affected areas the following day.

The UN on Wednesday launched a $459m (£294m) appeal for emergency aid but says billions will be needed in the long-term