The ancient archaeological site of Mohenjo-daro is now in danger of being destroyed in flood-devastated Pakistan, where an unprecedented monsoon season has claimed more than 1,300 lives and left millions homeless.
Pakistan's Monsoon Rains Threaten 4,500-Year-Old UNESCO World Heritage Site
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The ruins of Mohenjo-daro -- a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in southern Sindh Province, near the Indus river -- are considered among the best preserved urban settlements in South Asia. They were discovered in 1922 and, to this day, mystery surrounds the disappearance of their civilization, which coincided with those of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia.
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Once the center of a powerful civilization, Mohenjo-daro was one of the world's earliest cities -- a Bronze Age metropolis boasting flush toilets and water and waste systems to rival modern standards.
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Some 5,000 years later, archaeologists believe the ruins could unlock the secrets of the Indus Valley people, who flourished around 3,000 B.C. in what is now India and Pakistan before disappearing.
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The recent flooding has not directly hit Mohenjo-daro, but the record-breaking rains have inflicted damage on the ruins, said Ahsan Abbasi, the site’s curator.
"Several big walls which were built nearly 5,000 years ago have collapsed because of the monsoon rains," Abbasi said.
"Several big walls which were built nearly 5,000 years ago have collapsed because of the monsoon rains," Abbasi said.
