Pakistan’s biggest lake may burst banks after draining attempts fail

Lake Manchar on verge of causing more flooding, says local official, as third of country already underwater

Pakistan's biggest lake is on the verge of bursting its banks after attempts by authorities to drain it in a controlled way failed, a senior local official has warned.

In a last-ditch effort to avoid a catastrophe, officials breached Lake Manchar on Sunday, a move they acknowledged could displace up to 100,000 people from their homes but would also save densely populated areas from floods.