Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif speaks in an interaction with foreign media in Islamabad, Pakistan, Aug. 30, 2022. Sharif said the flood ravaging the country is "the worst in history", urging the international community to extend maximum support for the rehabilitation of the flood-stricken people. He said he was grateful to China and the international community for the helping hands. (Photo by Ahmad Kamal/Xinhua)
ISLAMABAD, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said the flood ravaging the country is "the worst in history", urging the international community to extend maximum support for the rehabilitation of the flood-stricken people.
Rescue and relief operations are continuing as the devastating floods have killed more than 1,100 people, displaced over a million people and washed away standing crops, the prime minister said in an interaction with foreign media on Tuesday.
He said the government has been scraping maximum resources to provide shelter, tents, mosquito nets, potable water and medical treatment to the affected people.
To this end, the prime minister said he was grateful to China and the international community for the helping hands.
"Friendly countries have already started sending relief supplies but much more needs to be done to overcome the situation," he said, adding that the damage to the country's infrastructure is vast and it would cost at least 10 billion U.S. dollars to repair the damaged infrastructure and provide aid to those affected.
The prime minister said the flood adversely impacted the economy, adding to the burden on the national treasure.
The country's National Disaster Management Authority said Tuesday that the total death toll in Pakistan from this season's monsoon rains since mid-June has risen to at least 1,136 along with 1,634 injured. ■
