Climate Catastrophe: Flood-Ravaged Pakistan Pegs Damage At US$30 Billion

Climate Catastrophe: Flood-Ravaged Pakistan Pegs Damage At US$30 Billion
United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres on Friday appealed for "massive" assistance as he visited the calamity-hit Pakistan on a "solidarity visit" where damage from recent flooding has been pegged at a staggering US$30 billion.

Casualties from the climate catastrophe have exceeded 1,400, according to Reuters. The United Nations had announced Guterres' visit to flood-ravaged Pakistan to see “areas most impacted by this unprecedented climate catastrophe" in August end.  The UN top boss visited the country on what the international organisation billed as a "solidarity visit".  UN Spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Guterres was expected to arrive in Islamabad on September 9 and return to New York on September 11.

Guterres had earlier urged the international community to help Pakistan battle "epochal levels of rain and flooding". In a video posted on his Twitter account, the UN chief launched a $160 million appeal to help the millions "shattered" by the devastating floods.

Superfloods had left the nation deluged, Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman had said earlier in August. All of south Pakistan had been inundated, she had said. The minister emphasised the need for a singular national focus in a tweet separately. This, according to the one-time journalist, was premised on resourcing, coordinating and providing relief to the millions affected.