Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has offered assistance to Nepal as the death toll from severe floods and landslides rose to 170 on Monday. Rescuers recovered numerous bodies from buses and other vehicles buried in landslides near the capital, Kathmandu, with reports confirming the rising toll.
While floods and landslides due to heavy rains are typical in the region during monsoon season, weather officials in Nepal attribute the current storms to climate change and a low-pressure system in the Bay of Bengal.
In a message on the social media platform X, Sharif expressed his deep sadness over the tragic floods in Nepal. He stated, “Having suffered catastrophic floods ourselves in 2022, Pakistan stands in full solidarity with Nepal and is prepared to offer any necessary assistance.”
Additionally, Pakistan’s foreign office conveyed its support for Nepal as floods continued to devastate the country. “Our thoughts and prayers are with those who have lost loved ones and livelihoods in the floods,” the statement read. “Pakistan stands with the government and people of Nepal during this tragic time.”
Sharif referenced the severe monsoon rains of 2022, which led to flash floods across Pakistan, resulting in over 1,700 deaths, significant damage to critical infrastructure, and the destruction of vast areas of crops, with estimated losses exceeding $30 billion. This monsoon season, which began in late June, has already caused nearly 350 deaths in Pakistan due to flash floods, according to the country’s disaster management authority. Scientists have noted that countries in South Asia, including Pakistan, have experienced increasingly erratic weather patterns in recent years, which they attribute to climate change.
