“With the tragic situation facing millions of men, women and children impacted by the historic floods in Pakistan, the Secretary-General will travel to the country next week for a solidarity visit,” the spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Stephane Dujarric told journalists. “He is expected to arrive in Islamabad on Friday, 9 September. He will then travel to the areas most impacted by this unprecedented climate catastrophe.”

Guterres will meet with displaced families and will also witness how we are working, in collaboration with UN humanitarian partners, to support the Government’s relief efforts and provide assistance to millions of people, Dujarric said.

Since June 2022, floods in Pakistan have killed at least 1,136 people. The floods were caused by heavier than usual monsoon rains and melting glaciers that followed a severe heat wave. It is the world's deadliest flood since the 2017 South Asian floods.

On 25 August, Pakistan declared a state of emergency because of the flooding. By 29 August, Pakistan's Minister of Climate Change said around "one-third" of the country was underwater, affecting 33 million people.

The Government of Pakistan has estimated the loss of US$10 billion so far from floodings across the country. (ILKHA)