Pakistan floods’ death toll nears 1,700, puts pressure on fragile economy

Inflation in Pakistan reaches 27%

The death toll from the cataclysmic floods in Pakistan neared 1,700, officials said on Saturday, a disaster that has displaced over 33 million and caused economic damages to the tune of $40 billion, fanning fears that the cash-strapped country may not be able to meet its debt obligations.

At least 15 people have died in the last 24 hours, taking the toll to 1,693, with 12,865 being injured, according to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the chief national organisation tasked to deal with natural calamities.

Also read | India and Pakistan should work together on climate change: Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal

Record monsoon rains and melting glaciers in northern mountains submerged nearly one-third of the country, wiping off fertile agricultural lands, destroying property and putting more than 33 million or one-seventh of Pakistan’s population without access to food and water.

The threat of waterborne diseases is also adding to the travails, making it one of the world’s deadliest crises this year.

The floods have destroyed 13,074 km of roads, 410 bridges and 2,045,349 while killing 1,160,078 livestock, according to the NDMA estimates. Till date, 81 districts across five of Pakistan’s six provinces have been declared ‘calamity hit’ by the Pakistan government — with Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Sindh provinces being the worst hit.

The floods have also raised questions on whether the cash-strapped country would be able to pay its debts on time, with the local currency weakening against the U.S. dollar and the forex reserves declining.