State of emergency declared as Pakistan floods intensify, killing hundreds and affecting millions

Weather of Arabia - The Pakistani government declared a state of emergency in the country after the death toll from floods and torrential rains rose to a horrific toll of 1,000 people and injured more than 1,300 others. Since the beginning of last July, more than 30 million people have been affected by floods, and it has called on the army to help in relief and rescue operations after 33 million people were displaced and thousands of homes were damaged by the floods.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif called for an emergency conference of foreign envoys to be held in Islamabad to seek help from the international community.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority, the floods destroyed 670,328 homes, 122 shops, 145 bridges and damaged 3,082 km of roads.

The Air Force and Navy in Pakistan announced the start of rescuing those trapped by the torrential rains and dropping in-kind aid from the air to help those affected in several areas of Pakistan.

Rain continues in several areas in northern Pakistan, especially in the Swat Valley district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, northwest of the country, which has claimed dozens of lives, in addition to landslides that destroyed about 150 buildings during the past 24 hours, and torrential rains destroyed 15 bridges and roads. Several plus two small solar power plants.

Pakistani President Arif Alvi had appealed to his people at home and abroad and the international community to support the flood victims who are in dire need of rescue, relief and rehabilitation after the unprecedented rains and floods claimed lives and destroyed the livelihoods of people across different regions of the country.

It is noteworthy that the average rainfall has increased 5 times more than what is typical during the monsoon period each year.

The provinces of Balochistan and Sindh in the south and west of the country are the most affected, but almost all parts of Pakistan have suffered from floods this year.

Pakistani officials considered that this year's floods can be compared to the worst floods in 2010, when more than 2,000 people were killed and about a fifth of the country's population was trapped in water.