ISLAMABAD: Minister for Climate Change Senator Sherry Rehman met Japanese Ambassador Mitsuhiro Wada and apprised him of devastation caused by floods across country, current relief efforts and assistance required for rehabilitation and reconstruction. Ambassador Mitsuhiro Wada expressed sincerest condolences on behalf of government and people of Japan on loss of precious lives and severe devastation caused by floods.

Sherry Rehman told Ambassador, “We are still receiving new data. Some 1,508 people have lost their lives and more than 12,000 are injured. Over 300 bridges have been torn apart and nearly 13,000 km of roads severely damaged, cutting off access to areas drowned in flood waters.” She said instant rescue and humanitarian relief had become an urgent task, as those who had survived, could not find dry land to pitch their tents.

“We had cascading climate events occurring one after other since start to the year, with temperatures reaching 53 degrees in Sindh followed by heatwaves and three times normal amount of GLOFs,” she added. Spread of diseases like cholera, Dengue and others she said would exacerbate health crisis among affected population as 33 million people had been impacted severely. Ambassador briefed minister on humanitarian assistance and conveyed extension of Emergency Grant Aid of $ 7 million to Pakistan by government of Japan.

Published in The Daily National Courier, September, 17 2022

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