Pakistan’s prime minister gave an update on the ongoing crisis Tuesday, which has left more than 1,100 dead, and said that at least $10 billion would be needed to provide relief and rebuild damaged infrastructure.
Pakistan is in the midst of a humanitarian disaster after extreme flooding prompted by “monster monsoon” rain this summer has led to a staggering number of casualties and damage, as well as stunning building collapses throughout the country.
The flooding, which has affected more than 33 million or roughly 15% of Pakistan’s population, has claimed the lives of at least 1,136 people and damaged countless homes since June, AFP reported, citing government officials who said the death toll continued rising on Monday.
In a press briefing on Tuesday, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the floods “the worst in the history of Pakistan,” according to AFP. “The damage to our infrastructure is vast and is spread all over Pakistan,” Sharif said.
Sherry Rehman, the country’s climate change minister, said in an interview on Twitter that Pakistan is facing “a serious climate catastrophe, one of the hardest in the decade” following exceptionally heavy rain during what she described as a “monster monsoon.”
“Many districts are beginning to look like they’re part of the ocean,” Rehman said.
The economic losses from the flooding could reach at least $10 billion, Pakistan Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal told Reuters on Monday. That figure was confirmed by Sharif on Tuesday who said the funds would be needed to repair infrastructure and provide aid.
Aerial footage showed muddy floodwaters covering the ground as far as the eye could see in the province of Balochistan, which has made it difficult for helicopter crews to land and drop essential rations.
On Sunday, planes carrying aid from Turkey and the United Arab Emirates safely landed in Islamabad, according to The AP. The planes were filled with tents, food and other necessary items for flood victims.
Rivers throughout the region have burst their banks amid the months-long deluge, leading to the destruction of nearby properties and farmland. Along the Swat River, shocking video footage captured the moment a large luxury hotel crumbled into raging floodwaters.
(This story has not been edited by News Mania staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
