Flooded Pakistan pleads for more aid
Nation says at least 1,265 have been killed, 33 million affected
ISLAMABAD — Pakistan appealed Saturday to the international community for an “immense humanitarian response” to unprecedented flooding that has left at least 1,265 people dead, including 441 children. The request came even as planes carried supplies to the impoverished country across a humanitarian air bridge.
Federal planning minister Ahsan Iqbal called for an “immense humanitarian response for 33 million people” affected by monsoon rains that triggered devastating floods. International attention to Pakistan’s plight has increased as the number of fatalities and homeless have risen. According to initial government estimates, the rain and flooding have caused $10 billion in damage.
Multiple officials and experts have blamed the unusual monsoon rains and flooding on climate change, including U.N. SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres, who earlier this week called on the world to stop “sleepwalking” through the deadly crisis.
Ammar Malik, a research scientist at AidData, a research lab at the College of William & Mary in the United States, said global warming had worsened the floods in two ways, by hastening the annual monsoon and accelerating summertime glacial melting.
“The predictability of weather systems depends on the delicate balance of climatic conditions underlying them. Any irregularities, such as higher than normal temperatures due to climate change, can disturb this balance and cause abnormalities in weather patterns,” he said.
The minister said rains this monsoon season have lashed most areas of Baluchistan and Sindh provinces as well as parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces.
The Gilgit-Baltistan territory was also affected. The torrential rains and subsequent flash floods caused massive damage to infrastructure, roads, electricity and communications networks.
Sherry Rehman, a Pakistani senator and the country’s top climate official, told Turkish news outlet TRT World last week that by the time the rains recede, “we could well have one fourth or one third of Pakistan under water.”
Although flood waters continued to recede in most of the country, many districts remained underwater.
Iqbal said the government is working to bring normalcy back to the country as soon as possible but that the Pakistani government can’t do it alone.
Lt. Gen. Akhtar Nawaz, head of the disaster management authority, said areas of the country expected to receive 15% to 20% of additional rain this year actually received in excess of 400% more. Collectively, the country has seen 190% more rain than usual this monsoon season.
The U.S. military’s Central Command has said it will send an assessment team to Islamabad to see what support it can provide. The United States announced $30 million worth of aid for the flood victims earlier this week.