Climate scientists explain Pakistan’s ‘unprecedented’ floods

The skies cleared over Pakistan towards the end of last week, revealing the extent of the flood damage caused by what UN chief António Guterres has called a “monsoon on steroids”. This year’s disaster has surpassed the devastation of floods in 2010 and is “unprecedented”, Sherry Rehman, Pakistan’s minister for climate change, stated on September 1 at an event in Islamabad to prepare for the next UN climate summit.

Rehman said the “monster monsoon” floods have washed away 45per cent of the country’s cropland, mainly in the southern province of Sindh — half of which is still inundated with floodwater. Pakistan has so far suffered damage of about $10 billion, with 33 million people affected, she added.

Experts fear the latest floods will hit Pakistan’s rice production this year. This will have global consequences, as Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest exporter of grain.

The skies cleared over Pakistan towards the end of last week, revealing the extent of the flood damage caused by what UN chief António Guterres has called a “monsoon on steroids”. This year’s disaster has surpassed the devastation of floods in 2010 and is “unprecedented”, Sherry Rehman, Pakistan’s minister for climate change, stated on September 1 at an event in Islamabad to prepare for the next UN climate summit.

Rehman said the “monster monsoon” floods have washed away 45per cent of the country’s cropland, mainly in the southern province of Sindh — half of which is still inundated with floodwater. Pakistan has so far suffered damage of about $10 billion, with 33 million people affected, she added.

Experts fear the latest floods will hit Pakistan’s rice production this year. This will have global consequences, as Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest exporter of grain.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.