Cape Town: In a bid to assist Pakistan with the devastating floods that has killed more than 1 100 people, the UN has issued an appeal for $160 million (about R2.7bn) to help the country during this time.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Pakistan was awash in suffering due to the relentless impact of epochal levels of rain and flooding.
The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids. More than 1000 people have been killed - with millions more lives shattered.
— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) August 30, 2022
This colossal crisis requires urgent, collective action to help the Government & people of Pakistan in their hour of need. pic.twitter.com/aVFFy4Irwa
“The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids,” said Guterres.
“Millions are homeless, schools and health facilities have been destroyed, livelihoods are shattered, critical infrastructure wiped out, and people’s hopes and dreams have washed away,” he said.
Guterres added that the colossal crisis required urgent, collective action in order to help the government and people of Pakistan in their hour of need.
According to Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), more than two million acres (about 800 000 hectares) of cultivated crops have been wiped out, around 3 457km of roads destroyed, and 157 bridges washed away.
At national flood emergency meeting today, we have approved the establishment of National Flood Response & Coordination Center to provide institutioanal response to the flood calamity. Led by PM, this Center will comprise federal ministers, reps of armed forces, CMs, & experts.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan coalition government approved the establishment of the National Flood Response and Coordination Center to provide further institutional response to the flood crisis.
“The centre will serve as a bridge between disaster management authorities, donors and government institutions,” PM Shehbaz announced on his Twitter handle.
Shehbaz added that the centre would collect and analyse the latest information and pass it on to the relevant government agencies.
I thank H.E. President Xi Jinping & H.E. Premier Li Keqiang for the financial assistance to flood-affected people of Pakistan. This flood is like no other in terms of its intensity & spread. China 🇨🇳 has been there for us at the most difficult times & we greatly value its support
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 30, 2022
In line with his commitment, my brother H.E. President @RTErdogan is leading humanitarian aid drive for flood affectees. Turkey 🇹🇷 has mobilized massive relief effort. 6 flights have landed so far; 2 more will arrive tomorrow. Train carrying relief goods left Ankara for Pakistan pic.twitter.com/ZywsM0gLSB
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) August 30, 2022
He thanked China leader Xi Jinping as well as Türkiye president Recep Tayyip Erdogan for their financial assistance during this time.
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