Pakistan floods: UN chief denounces ‘climate carnage’

International

-DW News

Islamabad,
Sep
11:
United
Nations
Secretary-General
Antonio
Guterres
on
Saturday
toured
some
of
the
areas
worst
damaged
by
flooding
in
Pakistan.

Guterres,
on
his
second
day
of
a
two-day
visit
to
the
country,
visited
Sukkur
district
in
southern
Sindh
province
and
Osta
Mohammad
in
southwestern
Baluchistan
province.

The
UN
chief
also
visited
camps
for
displaced
flood
victims
in
Larkana
district
in
Sindh
as
well.

What
did
Guterres
say
on
the
visit?

Guterres
said
he
had
seen
many
humanitarian
disasters
in
the
world,
but
had
never
“seen
climate
carnage
on
this
scale.”

“I
have
simply
no
words
to
describe
what
I
have
seen
today,”
Guterres
told
reporters
in
Karachi,
Pakistan’s
largest
city
and
the
capital
of
Sindh.

Saraikis
in
Pakistan
remain
ignored
in
flood
crisis

He
said
Pakistan
needed
“massive
financial
support
to
overcome
this
crisis,”
adding
that
it
was
not
a
matter
of
“generosity,
this
is
a
matter
of
justice.”

Guterres
appealed
for
massive
international
support
for
the
country
shortly
after
arrival
Friday,
saying
that
he
was
in
the
South
Asian
nation
to
express
his
support
with
the
Pakistani
people
and
that
initial
estimates
suggested
losses
of
around
$30
billion
(€29.5
billion).

Guterres
has
previously
repeatedly
called
attention
to
the
effects
of
climate
change
and
on
Saturday
said
it
was
important
to
“stop
the
madness
which
we
played
with
nature.”

He
said
the
UN
would
use
its
limited
resources
to
help
and
request
that
“those
who
have
the
capacity
to
support
Pakistan,
do
it
now
and
do
it
massively.”

Guterres’ comments
came
after
he
was
briefed
by
the
chief
minister
of
Singh
province,
Murad
Ali
Shah,
on
the
destruction
and
challenges
of
the
area.

Pakistani
Prime
Minister
Shahbaz
Sharif
and
some
of
his
Cabinet
members
also
accompanied
the
UN’s
top
official
during
his
visit.

Pak
floods
a
reminder
that
climate
adaption
needs
global
support

Pakistan
floods
affect
millions

With
nearly
1,400
deaths
and
some
33
million
affected,
floods
in
Pakistan
have
massively
disrupted
life
in
the
country.

Vast
swaths
of
the
country
remain
under
water,
with
severe
damage
to
property
and
farmlands
adding
to
the
challenge
of
coping
with
the
devastation.

The
UN
has
launched
an
appeal
for
$160
million
(€158
million)
in
aid
to
help
Pakistan,
while
the
UAE
and
US
are
among
countries
that
have
provided
the
most
aid
so
far.

Source: DW