Pakistan: Govt Declares National Emergency As Floods Kill More Than 900 People
The rain-induced floods have left at least 30 million without shelter.
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The Pakistani government declared a national emergency on Friday, 26 August, after at least 937 people, including 343 children, lost their lives due to floods.
The rain-induced floods have left at least 30 million without shelter.
Sindh Province has reported the highest number of deaths, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan.
"Pakistan is going through its 8th cycle of monsoon; normally the country has only three to four cycles of [monsoon] rain. Pakistan is under an unprecedented monsoon spell and data suggests the possibility of re-emergence of another cycle in September," said the Minister for Climate Change, Sherry Rehman, on Thursday during a press conference in Islamabad.
A "war room" has been set up by Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in order to rapidly commence relief operations across the country.
The country received 166.8 mm rains in August, news agency Dawn reported, citing an NDMA report.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb urged the Pakistani diaspora aborad to donate generously to aid the government and provide relief to the victims, including food, instant cash relief, the recontstruction of damaged houses, and the loss to cattle, and livestock.
(With inputs from Dawn and PTI.)
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