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News > Pakistan

UN Calls for Collective Action to Help Flood-Hit Pakistan

  • Effects of flooding in a Pakistani village, Aug. 30, 2022.

    Effects of flooding in a Pakistani village, Aug. 30, 2022. | Photo: Twitter/ @ajplus

Published 31 August 2022
Opinion

The climate catastrophe has killed over 1,000 Pakistanis. Millions are homeless, schools and health facilities have been destroyed, and livelihoods are shattered.

The Pakistani people are facing "a monsoon on steroids," United Nations Secretary Antonio Guterres said on Tuesday, calling on the international community to take urgent action to help the Pakistani government and people.

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"Pakistan is awash in suffering. The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids -- the relentless impact of epochal levels of rain and flooding," he said in a video message on the launch of flash appeal in support of flood response for Pakistan.

The climate catastrophe in Pakistan has killed over 1,000 people with many more injured. Millions are homeless, schools and health facilities have been destroyed, livelihoods are shattered, and critical infrastructure wiped out.

The Pakistani government has released funds, including immediate cash relief, in response to the devastation, "but the scale of needs is rising like the flood waters. It requires the world's collective and prioritized attention," Guterres noted.

On Tuesday, the United Nations issued flash appeal for US$160 million to help Pakistan deal with devastating flooding. The funds will provide 5.2 million people with food, water, sanitation, emergency education, protection and health support.

The UN Secretary also highlighted the urgency to address global climate change. South Asia is one of the world's global climate crisis hotspots. People living in these hotspots are 15 times more likely to die from climate impacts.

"As we continue to see more and more extreme weather events around the world, it is outrageous that climate action is being put on the back burner as global emissions of greenhouse gases are still rising, putting all of us -- everywhere -- in growing danger," Guterres said, warning that "today, it's Pakistan. Tomorrow, it could be your country."

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