LONDON: Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II said on Monday that she is “deeply saddened” by the severe flooding in Pakistan that has claimed more than 1,150 lives.
“I am deeply saddened to hear of the tragic loss of life and destruction caused by the floods across Pakistan,” the queen wrote in a letter to the country’s President Arif Alvi.
“My thoughts are with all those who have been affected, as well as those working in difficult circumstances to support the recovery efforts,” the queen said.
She added that the UK stands in solidarity with Pakistan as it recovers from these “terrible events.”
Monsoon rains that began in June have unleashed the worst flooding in over a decade, washing away swathes of vital crops and damaging or destroying more than 1 million homes.
Authorities and charities are struggling to accelerate aid delivery to more than 33 million people affected, a challenging task in remote areas as roads and bridges have been washed away.
Prince Charles also sent a letter to Alvi in which he paid tribute to the government of Pakistan, the military and emergency services, and “the countless volunteers and aid agencies who are working tirelessly to save lives and support those in need.”
“Times like these remind us of the fragility of our planet and the urgent need for humanity to live in harmony with nature. Our prayers are with all our friends in Pakistan,” he added.
The prince also made a donation to Islamic Relief UK for the flood-ravaged country. The charity thanked him for supporting its Pakistan Floods Appeal.
Pakistan needs more than $10 billion to repair and rebuild infrastructure damaged by the monsoon rains that have caused devastating flooding, the country’s Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal said Tuesday.
On Tuesday, the UN and Pakistan launched an appeal for $160 million in emergency funding for nearly half a million displaced victims of the record-breaking floods.
“Pakistan is awash in suffering,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in a video message for the launch of the appeal in Islamabad and Geneva.
“The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids — the relentless impact of epochal levels of rain and flooding.”
He said the scale of needs, with millions of people forced from their homes, schools and health facilities destroyed and livelihoods shattered by the climate catastrophe, required the world’s collective and prioritized attention.
