ISLAMABAD: United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres will travel to Pakistan next week to express solidarity with the South Asian country, his spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday, as the death toll from floods triggered by unusually heavy monsoon rains since mid-June crossed 1,100.
On Tuesday, the UN issued a flash appeal for $160 million to help Pakistan cope with catastrophic floods that have killed more than 1,162 people in the country, affected 33 million and destroyed homes, crops and critical infrastructure across Pakistan.
Early estimates have put the damage from floods at more than $10 billion, the Pakistani government has said, adding the world is under an obligation to help the South Asian country cope with the effects of climate change.
“With the tragic situation facing millions of men, women and children impacted by the historic floods in Pakistan, the Secretary-General will travel to the country next week for a solidarity visit,” Secretary General spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said in a statement.
He added that Guterres is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday, September 9.
“He [Secretary General] will then travel to the areas most impacted by this unprecedented climate catastrophe,” the spokesman said. “The Secretary-General will meet with displaced families and will also witness how we are working, in collaboration with our humanitarian partners, to support the Government’s relief efforts and provide assistance to millions of people.”
Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has said that 384 children and 231 women were among the 1,162 casualties of the floods. A total of 3,554 people have been injured across Pakistan and over 33 million affected during the ongoing rainfall and floods.
In a bid to galvanize support across the globe for Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has urged the world to “act now” to support flood-affected people.
“Deeply indebted to the United Nations @UN for launching $160 million Flash Appeal for the flood victims in Pakistan. What Pakistan is facing today could not be put better than what UN Secretary General @antonioguterres described as ‘awash in suffering’.”
