United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday voiced sorrow over catastrophic floods in northern Pakistan, where weeks of monsoon rains have left hundreds dead and millions more uprooted.
“The Secretary-General is profoundly saddened,” his spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, said in a statement, noting that more than 400 people have been killed. Entire communities have been submerged, with some 1.5 million people affected and hundreds of thousands requiring urgent assistance.
The toll extends far beyond human lives. According to the United Nations, more than 3,000 homes have been destroyed, along with over 400 schools and 40 health facilities. Local authorities warn that food shortages and outbreaks of waterborne disease could deepen the crisis.
Guterres commended the government of Pakistan for mounting an extensive response, including the relocation of over one million people in Punjab province. “He expresses his solidarity with the government and people of Pakistan, extends his heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives, and wishes a swift recovery to those who have been injured,” the statement read.
The disaster has been attributed to an unusually severe monsoon season, worsened by the growing impact of climate change. Pakistan, though responsible for less than one percent of global emissions, remains one of the countries most vulnerable to climate-driven disasters, according to scientists and international agencies.
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The United Nations said it was working closely with Pakistani authorities to assess immediate needs and coordinate aid. Tom Fletcher, the UN’s emergency relief coordinator, has already released $600,000 from a regional humanitarian fund to support relief and recovery. Talks are underway with Islamabad on a broader response plan.
In recent years, Pakistan has faced repeated climate shocks—from heat waves to flash floods—that have strained its fragile infrastructure and displaced millions. Advocates warn that without stronger international support, such disasters will continue to undermine the country’s recovery and development.
For now, relief workers face an urgent task: restoring shelter, food, and medical care to communities swept aside by floodwaters. In villages across the north, survivors are left to reckon with both the immediate devastation and the daunting prospect of rebuilding.