‘A Monsoon on Steroids.’ What To Know About Pakistan’s Catastrophic Floods

A staggering one-third of the country was underwater as of this week, with more than 30 million people affected.

• The immediate cause of the catastrophic floods is record rainfall. “So far this year the rain is running at more than 780% above average levels,” said Abid Qaiyum Suleri, a director at Pakistan’s Sustainable Development Policy Institute. Melting glaciers—Pakistan has more glaciers than any other country—is also contributing to the floods, which are linked to climate change.

• The U.N. said Tuesday that it is seeking $160 million in emergency aid for the ongoing floods, noting that nearly 1 million homes had been damaged and more than 700,000 livestock were lost. Humanitarian relief has started to arrive in the country, but efforts have been hampered by extensive infrastructural damage; over 2,000 miles of roads and 150 bridges have been affected. The IMF approved a bail-out of $1.1bn to help Pakistan avoid defaulting on its debts.

Source: https://time.com/6209967/pakistan-floods-what-to-know/