Flooding Devastates Pakistan's Infrastructure

"Even as Pakistani and international relief officials scrambled to save people and property, they despaired that the nation's worst natural calamity had ruined just about every physical strand that knit this country together - roads, bridges, schools, health clinics, electricity and communications.

The destruction could set Pakistan back many years, if not decades, further weaken its feeble civilian administration and add to the burdens on its military. It seems certain to distract from American requests for Pakistan to battle Taliban insurgents, who threatened foreign aid workers delivering flood relief on Thursday. It is already disrupting vital supply lines to American forces in Afghanistan."

The government is estimating that 5,000 miles of roads ad railways have been destroyed by the flooding, in addition to more than 7,000 schools.