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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres toured Pakistan’s flood-torn Sindh and Balochistan provinces a day after saying the world had an obligation to provide “substantial” relief to the impoverished country.
Mr. Guterres is on the second day of a two-day visit to Pakistan, which has been ravaged by months of monsoon rains and flooding.
At least 1,396 people were killed, 12,728 injured and millions left homeless.
The floods also destroyed roads and communications infrastructure.
Mr. Guterres visited flood-affected areas in the Sukkur district in southern Sindh and the Aosta Mohammed district in southwestern Balochistan – the worst-hit areas in the country.
“Pakistan needs a lot of financial support today to overcome this crisis,” he said.
“It’s not a question of generosity, it’s a question of justice.”
Miles of cotton and sugar cane crops, banana orchards and vegetable fields in both provinces were flooded.
Thousands of mud and brick houses collapsed under the flood, leaving people homeless and sheltering in tents beside damaged roads.
Mr. Guterres made the comments after being briefed by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on the destruction in the province.
Prime Minister Sheikh Baz Sharif and some members of his cabinet accompanied senior UN officials on the visit.
Pakistan has been hit with extraordinarily heavy monsoon rains starting early this year (mid-June).
Experts blame global warming for the early start and the heavier than normal rainfall.
“Humans have been waging war against nature, and nature is fighting back,” Mr Guterres said.
“We need to stop our crazy play with nature.”
Mr. Guterres expressed solidarity with the people of Pakistan, saying the UN would use its limited resources to help, and asked “those who are in a position to support Pakistan to do so now and at scale”.
UN agencies and several countries have so far sent nearly 60 planes to deliver aid, and authorities say the United Arab Emirates has been one of the most generous donors, sending 26 flights to deliver aid to disaster victims.
Torrential rains and floods have added fresh grief to cash-strapped Pakistan since June and highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on the poor.
Experts say Pakistan is responsible for only 0.4 percent of the world’s historic emissions, which are blamed on climate change.
The United States accounted for 21.5%, China accounted for 16.5%, and the EU accounted for 15%.
The UN Secretary-General also visited displaced flood camps in the Lakhana region.
There, Mr Guterres was briefed by officials on the situation and threats to the protected archaeological site in Mohenjodaro – one of the earliest sites of human civilization.
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