Video Producer: Naman Shah
Video Editor: Abhishek Sharma
Devastating floods in Pakistan have killed over a thousand people and wreaked damage to property, and natural life. Pakistan's Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman called it the "monster monsoon of the decade," adding that "literally a third" of Pakistan is under water.
At least 1,136 people have died and another 1,634 have been injured, according to data by the country's National Disaster Management Authority on Monday, 29 August.
It said that about 10,51,570 houses were totally or partially damaged, leaving millions of people without food, clean drinking water, and shelter.
Around 7,19,558 livestock are also dead, as millions of acres of fertile farmland has been inundated by weeks of constant rains.
"Saddened to see the devastation caused by the floods in Pakistan. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, the injured, and all those affected by this natural calamity and hope for an early restoration of normalcy," Prime Minister Narendra Modi had tweeted on Monday.
As per reports, talks are underway at the highest levels between India and Pakistan on the possibility of extending humanitarian assistance to the latter.
Finance Minister Miftah Ismail said the floods have impacted Pakistan's economy by USD 10 billion. Citing Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's aide, the BBC reported that the country was desperate for international support.
China, UK, UAE, and Canada Extend Aid
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday had sent a message of condolence to his Pakistani counterpart Arif Alvi. China will continue to provide the urgently-needed assistance to Pakistan and support the country in its disaster relief work, the president had said.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the situation in Pakistan "heart-breaking." "My thoughts go to the victims and those helping with a heroic relief effort. The United Kingdom is sending support and continues to stand by the people of Pakistan in their hour of need," he wrote on Twitter on Monday.
Britain's Queen Elizabeth said she was deeply saddened by the loss of lives and property in Pakistan due to the floods, asserting that the UK stands in solidarity with the country.
Further, the United Nations is set to launch a $161 million flash appeal for Pakistan on Tuesday. "The funding will provide critical food and cash assistance to nearly one million people in the districts in Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces," the global body said.
The Turkish Red Crescent Society is providing cash assistance of Rs 16,000 along with 300 kits, 600 jerry cans, and 1,500 mosquito nets to 300 families in Jafferabad.
The first flight from the UAE, carrying over 3,000 tonnes of relief goods, arrived at the Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan on Sunday. At least 15 plane-loads of relief goods from the UAE are scheduled to land in the country in the coming days.
The Canadian government allocated USD 20,000 to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for flood relief operations in Pakistan, Canada's International Development Minister Harjit Sajjan said.
Canada is also a donor to the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund, which has allocated USD 3 million as flood response.
On 25 August, Pakistan had declared a national emergency in the face of the climate crisis.
PM Sharif Forms National Flood Response Centre, Announces Compensation
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif chaired a meeting on flood relief efforts on Monday and announced the formation of a National Flood Response and Coordination Centre to provide proper institutional response to the calamity, which will comprise federal ministers, representatives of armed forces, chief ministers, and experts.
After the meeting, in a series of tweets, the PMO said: “The Centre will serve as a bridge between the disaster management authorities, the donors, and the government institutions. It will collect and analyse latest information and pass it on to the relevant government agencies. It will also oversee rescue and relief work, including restoration of infrastructure.”
Sharif had earlier visited the flood-hit areas of Charsadda and Nowshera in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and had announced Rs 25,000 as compensation for every affected family, saying that the funds would be disbursed by 3 September.
He also announced an ex gratia amount of Rs 1 million for the kin of those who lost their lives in the floods.
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