New York, NY (BBN)– Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has voiced sadness at the significant loss of lives, livelihoods, and infrastructure in Pakistan as a result of torrential monsoon rains that have caused the worst floods in the country in 80 years, and sent his deepest condolences to the people and the Pakistan government.
Mr. Ban reiterated the United Nations’ full commitment to supporting the national and provincial authorities in Pakistan in meeting the humanitarian needs of the population affected, and authorized the disbursement of up to $10 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to help address the immediate needs of those affected by the floods.
The funds from CERF are in addition to the aid the UN is already providing through its various humanitarian agencies, a UN press statement on Sunday.
At least 1100 people have been killed by monsoon rains, flash floods and landslides in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and at least another 47 have died in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, according to the Pakistani officials.
More than 1.5 million people have been affected, with thousands of homes and vast areas of farmland destroyed in a region of Pakistan reeling from years of extremist bloodshed.
BBN/SS/SI/AD-02Aug10-1:12 pm (BST)
