4,500-Year-Old Mohenjo-daro Site Risks Losing UNESCO Heritage Status Over Floods in Pakistan - Media

© AP Photo / Fareed KhanA Pakistani man walks in Mohenjo-daro, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, after heavy rainfall in Larkana District, of Sindh, Pakistan, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022
A Pakistani man walks in Mohenjo-daro, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, after heavy rainfall in Larkana District, of Sindh, Pakistan, Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 - Sputnik International, 1920, 07.09.2022
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The ruins of the Mohenjo-daro civilization's settlement in Pakistan were discovered in 1922 by Rakhal Das Banerjee. The civilization mysteriously disappeared in the middle of the second millennium BC (2000 BC to 1001 BC); it is believed one of the main reasons for the disappearance was catastrophic climate change.
As Pakistan continues to battle floods, the world famous 4,500-year-old archaeological site Mohenjo-daro, in the country's Sindh Province near the Indus River, may lose its UNESCO World Heritage Status, local media reported.
According to Pakistani daily Dawn, the historical site received 779.5mm of rain between 16 and 26 August, leading to the "partial falling of several walls, including the protection wall of the stupa dome".
Ahsan Abbasi, the site's curator, wrote a letter to the director of culture, antiquities and archaeology, on 29 August, saying: "We have made efforts to protect the site with our resources."
The ruins of Mohenjo-daro had remained undocumented until Rakhal Das Banerjee visited the area and dug up the site. Excavation continued until the Sixties. However, it is believed that a significant part of Mohenjo-daro remains buried.
The site was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1980.
The civilization is known for urban planning, developing water supplies, drainage and sewerage systems, and homes with lavatories. It is believed that a population of up to 60,000 inhabited Mohenjo-daro at the height of its development.
Floods in Pakistan
Pakistan has recently been hit with devastating floods, with the government assessing that a third of the country's territory had been submerged.
According to Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), tens of thousands of people have already been shifted to a relief center.
At least 1,343 have died since 14 July because of the unprecedented rainfall.
Pakistani authorities have estimated that the country's economic losses are up to $12.5Bln.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has repeatedly asked the international community to send more aid to flood victims.
UN Secretary General António Guterres plans to visit flood-hit areas on Thursday (9 September).
Although it has not been officially announced that he will visit Mohenjo-daro, local media reports suggest that he will.
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