A third of Pakistan is under water, with more than 1,130 dead

Tens of millions of Pakistanis continued this Tuesday (30.08.2022) to fight against the worst monsoon rains in three decades, which left at least 1,136 dead, swept away countless houses and destroyed farmland.

A third of Pakistan is currently “underwater,” said Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman, citing a "crisis of unimaginable proportions."

The monsoon rains that began in June are “unprecedented for 30 years,” said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, as he toured the affected areas in the north, while in the south, the Indus River, the country's most important river, threatens to overflow its banks.

There is a huge rescue operation in the country, where international aid is slowly arriving.

The UN and the Pakistani government, which has declared a state of emergency, will officially launch an appeal for 160 million dollars to finance emergency aid on Tuesday.

Climate change in Pakistan

The Pakistani authorities attribute these devastating rains to climate change and claim that the country is suffering the consequences of irresponsible environmental practices in other parts of the world.

More than 33 million people, one in seven Pakistanis, have been affected by the floods and almost a million houses were destroyed or severely damaged, the government revealed.

According to the latest balance from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the rains have left at least 1,136 dead since June.

But authorities are still trying to reach remote villages in the northern highlands, which could add to the death toll.

“Everything is a big ocean, there is no dry place from where you can pump the water,” Minister Rehman said, adding that the economic cost will be devastating.

The monsoon, which usually lasts from June to September, is essential for irrigating crops and replenishing water resources in the Indian subcontinent. But it also has its share of tragedy and destruction each year.