The Pakistani government declared a state of emergency on Friday due to severe flooding that has ravaged large parts of the country for days. According to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif More than 30 million inhabitants of the country have been affected and emergency aid is urgently needed. Authorities speak of the worst flooding since 2010, when more than 2,000 people died in the natural disaster.
According to the Pakistani disaster authority NDMA, 900 people have died this year in floods caused by monsoon rains. About 200,000 homes are said to have been destroyed, critical infrastructure such as bridges and roads have been completely wiped out in some places and crops destined for the coming season have been damaged beyond repair in many parts of the country.
Climate Secretary Sherry Rehman says the floods are “the worst humanitarian disaster of this decade.” Rehman says that massive flooding has been increasing in the country in recent years and that this is due to climate change. Like the prime minister, Rehman pushed for help from the international community. In particular, there would be a need for tents for displaced families and food parcels for areas where fields are completely submerged.