The Asian country has received twice the normal rainfall since June. As a result, one-third of the country is under water. Especially in the south and west there are few arid lands. Severe weather affects more than 33 million people, about 15 percent of the Pakistani population. Bridges and roads have been destroyed and 1 million homes have been damaged or destroyed.

Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif called it “the worst flood in the history of Pakistan”. According to him, the damage to the infrastructure was huge. Sharif estimates that at least 10 billion euros are needed to rebuild the country. He calls on the international community to send aid.

The United Nations had earlier announced that it wanted to raise 160 million Euros for Pakistan. That means 5.2 million people can be helped with food, water, sanitation and care. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the people of Pakistan were facing a “monsoon of steroids” and called for unity. “Let’s stop sleepwalking towards the destruction of our planet from climate change.”