ISLAMABAD: A US Congress delegation currently visiting Pakistan to evaluate the devastation caused by the recent rains and floods said on Monday the country was facing a “frightening” situation, though its people had not given up.
The delegation, which includes Sheila Jackson Lee and Tom Suozzi, said it was briefed by military rescuers while visiting the flood-affected areas of the country.
“As far as the eye could see, I saw water,” Congresswoman Lee said in a Twitter post. “We were the first US delegation to visit the most devastating and deadly flooding in Pakistani history. A flood of historic proportion, really a monster of a disaster.”
Pakistan has witnessed unprecedented rains since the beginning of monsoon in June, leading to massive floods that submerged much of the country, killed over 1,300 people, and affected the lives of about 15 percent of the total population.
The government has said the rehabilitation is likely to take several years and may cost the country over $10 billion.
The visiting US delegation also interacted with flood-affected families and “listened to the men, women and children who experienced the raging deadly waters.”
It said the Pakistan government was doing as much as possible to save people.
“With whole villages underwater, 33 million Pakistanis are affected and almost 70,000 women are expected to give birth potentially without medical care,” Lee said in another Twitter post.
“Our delegation brought hope that the United States will be an effective and consistent partner in helping Pakistan work through this human [crisis],” she added. “How frightening! Humanity is under attack!”
The United Nations recently issued a flash appeal for $160 million to help Pakistan deal with catastrophic floods that have destroyed homes, crops and critical infrastructure across the South Asian country.
Pakistan has also received humanitarian support from friendly nations like the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and China, though it still requires greater international assistance to handle the magnitude of the crisis.
