"Hell Has Opened and There Is No Countermeasure" Pakistan Flood Death Toll Exceeds 1,000

Flood Damage Across Four Provinces in Pakistan
300,000 Houses Damaged
"Most Severe Climate Disaster in 10 Years"

Pakistan experiences the monsoon rainy season from June to September, and this year, some areas received record-breaking rainfall exceeding the average by up to seven times. Photo by AP Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Juri] As floods in Pakistan have caused over 1,000 deaths, the Pakistani government has declared a national emergency. Pakistan experiences the monsoon season from June to September, and this year, some areas have seen record-breaking rainfall exceeding the average by up to seven times. Coupled with economic difficulties, the government has appealed to the international community for support.

According to foreign media including the AP on the 28th (local time), the Pakistan National Disaster Management Authority announced that since the start of the monsoon season in mid-June, the flood death toll has reached 1,061. This figure includes more than 350 children.

Sheri Rehman, Pakistan's Minister of Climate Change, described the floods as "the most severe climate disaster in 10 years" in a video posted on Twitter on the 26th. He added, "We are currently on the front lines of continuous extreme weather events such as heatwaves, wildfires, and floods," and said, "Right now, a 'monster monsoon' not seen in 10 years is relentlessly causing massive damage nationwide." He expressed concern that "by the time the rain stops, a quarter to a third of Pakistan will be submerged."

On the 28th (local time), a man stands in front of a house damaged by floods in a region of Balochistan province in southwestern Pakistan. Photo by AP Yonhap News

The floods have affected all four provinces of Pakistan. The number of destroyed homes has reached 300,000, over 3,000 km of roads are impassable, and 130 bridges have been damaged. Millions of people are also suffering from power outages.

Asad Iqbal, Pakistan's Minister of Planning and Development, told local media in an interview, "More than 33 million people have been affected by this heavy rain," explaining that this accounts for about 15% of the national population.

The hardest-hit areas are Balochistan and Sindh provinces. In southern Balochistan, rainfall during this year's monsoon season exceeded the usual amount by more than 522%.

A Sindh provincial official described the situation in an interview with the BBC as a "biblical flood," stating, "Hell has opened, and there are no countermeasures."

Pakistan also experienced monsoon floods in 2010 that killed over 2,000 people and submerged about one-fifth of the country. Prime Minister Sharif's remarks imply that this year's flood damage has far surpassed the 2010 situation.

The Pakistani government has stated that it cannot handle this flood disaster alone and is appealing for international assistance. In response, countries such as T?rkiye and the United Arab Emirates have sent relief cargo planes carrying tents and food, and international organizations including the United Nations (UN) plan to join the relief efforts soon.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.