Two Die, 100 Fall Sick After Drinking Contaminated Water in Pakistan

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Two people died and about 100 others fell ill after drinking contaminated water from a well in a Pakistani village, an official said recently.

KARACHI, Pakistan — Two people died and about 100 others fell ill after drinking contaminated water from a well in a Pakistani village, an official said recently.


A 60-year-old man and his 12-year-old daughter died late Saturday after suffering from diarrhea and stomach cramps. The two became sick after drinking water from the well in the village of Goth Nek Mohammed on the western outskirts of Karachi, said Fazal Memon, a local health official.


About 100 others were also sickened after drinking from the well, the village's only source of water. Memon said most of the victims have since recovered.


Authorities have barred people from drinking from the well and were investigating what caused the contamination.


Water-borne illnesses are common in Pakistan because of poor sanitation.


In June, at least 38 people were killed and more than 4,000 were sickened in Hyderabad, a city near Karachi, after drinking polluted water from a lake.


Authorities believed the lake's water was tainted with chromium, lead, and other toxins from nearby factories.


Source: Associated Press