Aug 30,2022:The United Nations has appealed for $160m to help Pakistan following “epochal” rains and flooding that have killed more than 1,100 people, affected 33 million others, and destroyed homes, businesses, infrastructure and crops.
Torrential rain has triggered flash floods that have crashed down from northern mountains, wrecking buildings and bridges and washing away roads and crops.
Colossal volumes of water are pouring into the Indus river, which flows down the middle of Pakistan from its northern peaks to southern plains, bringing flooding along its length.
“Pakistan is awash in suffering,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday in a video message to launch the appeal in Islamabad and Geneva.
“The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids – the relentless impact of epochal levels of rain and flooding,” Guterres said.
Colossal volumes of water are pouring into the Indus river, which flows down the middle of Pakistan from its northern peaks to southern plains, bringing flooding along its length.
“Pakistan is awash in suffering,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday in a video message to launch the appeal in Islamabad and Geneva.
Pakistan estimates the floods have affected more than 33 million people, or more than 15 percent of its 220 million population.
The UN chief said the scale of the country’s needs required the world’s collective and prioritised attention.
Guterres also said Pakistan’s flooding was a signal to the world to step up action against climate change.
