In Pakistan, surging floodwaters continue to threaten towns in southern Sindh, where 19 of its 23 districts have been deluged and more than one million people displaced. District administration chief Iqbal Memon today said they are trying their best to protect Johi town, threatened by ravaging floodwaters. He said the floodwaters are fast heading towards the town after inundating most parts of Khairpur Nathan Shah town and Mehar town and several surrounding villages in Dadu district. The town, which is 315 kilometres north of Karachi has a population of 60,000 and officials fear that floodwaters will breach embankments surrounding the town unless they are quickly strengthened. The floods have ruined 3.6 million hectares of rich farmland in the country and the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation said farmers urgently needed seeds to plant for next year's crops. Prime Minister Gilani warned on Wednesday that the country faced inflation of up to 20 per cent and slower growth because of devastating floods, which wiped out crops and killed 1,760 people. The World Bank has raised flood aid to Pakistan to one billion dollars, while the IMF has approved 450 million dollars in emergency financing to help the nation cope.