Pakistan flood damages estimated to be around $40bn by World Bank: Climate Change Minister

Amid the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Pakistan following the deadly flooding, the nation’s Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman on Monday stated that the World Bank has evaluated the country's flood damages at $40 billion.

Indicating the crisis, she further said that the health problem in the nation is now becoming worse and that the Pakistani government must concentrate on the rehabilitation of flood victims. According to a Geo News report, she urged the world community to assist the victims of the devastating disaster.  

Minister Rehman said in a tweet, “Estimates of the damage to houses, infrastructure, roads and crops are much higher. We have been trying to save precious lives for the past 18 weeks.” She also noted, “The health crisis is now intensifying in the flood-affected areas. Along with dengue and malaria other epidemics are increasing rapidly.” 

Notably, the unprecedented monsoon rains that hit Pakistan this year resulted in 1,700 fatalities, the destruction of two million houses, and the submerging of a third of the country. According to a World Bank report released last week, the floods would directly cause Pakistan's poverty rate to increase by 2.5 to 4 percentage points. 

The organisation also stressed that due to the loss of employment, livestock, crops, residences, and schools, as well as the spread of illness and increased food prices, people between 5.8 and 9 million might be in poverty. The World Bank also pointed out that countrywide inflation is anticipated to be 23 per cent in the fiscal year 2023. 

Pakistan is expected to have 2.7 million cases of malaria: WHO

By January 2023, 32 districts in flood-stricken Pakistan are expected to have 2.7 million cases of malaria, the World Health Organization said on Saturday. The organisation further pleaded with the international community to "do a lot more" for Pakistan. 

According to Geo News, cholera, measles, and dengue are the other diseases affecting the nation. The WHO deemed the floods in Pakistan a Grade 3 Emergency and raised alarm over the second wave of disease outbreaks engulfing the flood-affected regions of Pakistan, according to The News. 

Dr Palitha Mahipala, WHO's representative in Pakistan, said that "the second disaster in the shape of outbreaks of water and vector-borne diseases" has begun in Pakistan's flood-affected areas, as per media reports. He underlined that malaria has "worst affected" 32 districts in Sindh and Balochistan, and also asserted that hundreds of cases are recorded there each day. 

Dr Mahipala even highlighted WHO's efforts to reduce malaria-related mortality and stated that the UN organisation has been donating diagnostic tools and anti-malarial medications worth $2.5 million. The WHO is also providing technical assistance to the Pakistani government to help them combat malaria epidemics. He said that since adopting preventative measures is not possible in areas affected by flooding, prophylactic therapy and post-exposure therapies are being organised for the treatment of malaria patients. 

(Image: AP)