This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

Much of Pakistan faces more storms in the coming days. Heavy rains have already caused more than two weeks of record flooding. Health officials worry about disease spreading because of a lack of clean drinking water.

The United Nations wants four hundred sixty million dollars to provide immediate help to fourteen million people affected by the flooding. The appeal this week came as estimates put the number of dead at about one thousand six hundred.

The Pakistani ambassador to the U.N. says the floods could limit his country's economic growth this year. The cotton industry has been especially hard hit.

Pakistan has cancelled official Independence Day celebrations that were set for Saturday.