Around the lives of three million children are at risk from malnutrition and disease in flood hit areas of the country, due to the huge shortage of emergency funding.

According to the press release issued by Save the Children, only nine percent of the 233 million required by the UN's emergency appeal has so far been raised, prompting fears that millions of people will be left without food and water if more money is not found.

The UN says that food and water supplies could run out in within weeks and is warning that a third of those affected could be without medical care in a month's time.

Emergency shelter supplies will run out in the next few weeks, according to the UN.

At least 5.5 million people have been affected by the flooding after torrential rains caused river banks to burst and overflow in late August.

The disaster left 1.8 million people displaced and forced many to flee to roadside, railway tracks and schools in search of shelter.

David Wright, Country Director for Save the Children Pakistan said: "Children are distressed and are living in desperate conditions with families barely able to feed themselves."

Their stocks of food have been wiped out by flooding and they don't have the money to buy food.

Some people are still completely cut off from help.We are on the ground saving children's lives, but the need is huge.

The world has to face up to what is happening here and fill the funding gap so aid agencies can reach millions more people."

Save the Children is one of a few international agencies currently delivering aid in southern Sindh.

The children's aid agency is reaching almost 250,000 people with food, healthcare, shelter and basic household goods, as well as establishing safe play areas to help children recover from the distress caused by the disaster.

With most aid agencies focussing delivery of supplies to the districts of Badin and Mirpur Khas, Save the Children is also the first to start reaching out to communities in new areas such as Sanghar where 900,000 people have been affected, according to local authorities.

The children's charity has delivered food rations to 5,000 families in the district of Sanghar.

Only 145,000 people of those affected in this district are receiving assistance in camps and the rest are fending for themselves.