Flood waters that devastated Pakistan’s mountainous north-west surged into the heartland yesterday, submerging dozens of villages along bloated rivers whose torrents have killed at least 1,500 people and put 100,000 at risk of disease.

Flood waters were reportedly moving southwards towards Punjab and Sindh provinces, Mr Marco Jimenez, spokesman for the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), said. “Those provinces are at risk at the moment,” he added.