Record monsoon rains and melting glaciers in the country’s northern mountains have caused floods that have killed at least 1,391 people, sweeping away homes, roads, railways, bridges, livestock and crops. Vast areas are flooded and hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes. The government says the lives of nearly 33 million people have been disrupted. Pakistan estimates the damage at $30bn (£26bn) and both the government and Guterres have blamed the floods on climate change. The UN secretary-general landed in Sindh province on Saturday, before flying over some of the worst-hit areas on his way to Balochistan, another hard-hit province. “It is hard not to feel deeply moved when you hear such detailed accounts of tragedy,” Guterres said after landing in Sindh, according to a video released by the office of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “Pakistan needs huge financial support. This is not a matter of generosity. it’s a matter of justice.” A video released by Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb showed Guterres sitting next to Sharif as he viewed flood-damaged areas from an aircraft window. “Unthinkable,” Guterres said, surveying the damage. In July and August, Pakistan received 391 millimeters (15.4 in) of rain, or nearly 190% more than the 30-year average. Sindh province, in the south of the country, has seen 466% more rain than average. Guterres said on Saturday that the world must understand the impact of climate collapse on low-income countries. Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. “Humanity is waging war on nature and nature is fighting back,” he said. “Nature is fighting back in Sindh, but it was not Sindh that did the greenhouse gas emissions that have so dramatically accelerated climate change. There is a very unfair situation in relation to the level of destruction.”
