Nearly half a million people displaced by flooding are living in relief camps 

Pakistani health officials have reported an outbreak of water-borne diseases, including in Charsadda, Pakistan, seen here on Thursday. The area has been hit by extreme flooding. (Mohammad Sajjad/The Associated Press)

Pakistani health officials on Thursday reported an outbreak of water-borne diseases in areas hit by recent record-breaking flooding, as authorities stepped up efforts to ensure the provision of clean drinking water to hundreds of thousands of people who lost their homes in the disaster.

The UN children's agency said more than three million children were in need of humanitarian assistance and stood at heightened risk of disease, drowning and malnutrition due to the most severe flooding in Pakistan's recent history.

Pakistani authorities and aid agencies also were working to secure medical facilities to thousands of pregnant women, who are among 33 million people affected by floods.

Diarrhea, skin diseases and eye infections are spreading at relief camps set up by the government across the country. Over 90,000 diarrhea cases were reported from one of the worst-hit provinces, Sindh, in the past 24 hours, according to a report released by the health officials. 

The grim updates came a day after Pakistan and the World Health Organization raised concern over the spread of water-borne diseases among flood victims.