VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Heavy rains that caused floods have submerged a third of Pakistan. At least 22 million people or about 10 percent of the country's population are estimated to be affected by the floods. The United Nations Satellite Center Map (UNOSAT) illustrates that cumulative water detected by satellites in Pakistan on August 1-29 shows a total of about 75,000 km2 of land affected by flooding.

According to Pakistan's National Disaster Mitigation Authority, nearly 1,200 people have died from flooding since mid-June. While more than a million homes were destroyed or damaged since high-intensity rains triggered flash floods across almost the entire country. The catastrophic floods have destroyed some infrastructure, including roads, bridges and farmlands, and also washed away nearly a million animals.

The magnitude of the impact caused by floods in Pakistan has received the attention of United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres. In a video message, he urged the international community to help Pakistan. He also called for the world's citizens to stop sleepwalking towards the destruction of the planet inhabited by humanity due to climate change. He said that at this time, a disaster befell Pakistan, but the next time a disaster could befall other countries.

The United Nations has disbursed aid worth US$ 160 million and  asked its members to help Pakistan meet the basic needs of the 5.2 million people displaced by this disaster, including the 33 million Pakistanis who were affected.

Pakistan's Minister of Climate Change, Sherry Rehman described the situation in Pakistan as a humanitarian disaster caused by climate. Pakistan produces less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions but ranks in the top 10 countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. This year, Pakistan has almost 200 percent more rain than the average monsoon. According to Sherry Rehman, many factors cause flooding, but the warming of the atmosphere caused by climate change makes extreme rainfall more likely. The world has warmed by around 1.2 degrees Celsius since the industrial era began and temperatures will continue to rise unless governments around the world make sharp cuts to carbon emissions.

The United Nations plans to hold a Climate Change Conference (COP27) or the 27th meeting of the parties concerned in Sharm El Sheikh, Egyptin November. This meeting is expected to be a place to discipline the world's citizens in avoiding and protecting the planet where humanity lives from natural disasters.