Pakistan flood death toll rises to more than 1,200

More than 1,200 people have died in Pakistan as a result of floods in recent weeks, according to official figures, which also report more than 6,000 injured and extensive material damage.

The Pakistani agency responsible for disaster management had confirmed until Thursday 1,208 fatalities, of which more than 430 correspond to the region of Sindh, in the south of the country. In addition, the number of injured now exceeds 6,000.

A third of the country has suffered the ravages of a storm that does not cease, as in the south they fear new floods after the flooding of some rivers. A total of 33 million people have been affected.

The UN estimates that 6.4 million citizens are in urgent need of humanitarian aid and, in recent days, there have been repeated calls for an increased response. Both UN agencies and NGOs have stepped up with new operations.

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) reported Thursday that it is providing medical care, setting up drinking water points and distributing water and non-food items to those affected by the rains, unprecedented in Pakistan’s recent history.

Action Against Hunger Pakistan director Jennifer Ankrom-Khan has warned that the “devastating” effects of the monsoon are not over, in part because “many areas remain inaccessible.” She did not rule out that the death toll will be “much higher” in the coming days as these areas become accessible.

He has also warned of the possible long-term effects on food supply and market, “in a country already affected by a major economic crisis through the spillover effects of the COVID-19 pandemics and the war in Ukraine.” Pakistan already had 27 million food insecure citizens before this disaster.