Pakistan is reeling under a climate catastrophe with deaths from flooding crossing 1,000. Terrifying videos on social media capture the devastation caused by what the government is describing as "the monster monsoon of the decade".
Imposing buildings collapsed into rushing waters. Nearly a million homes were destroyed, news agency AFP reported.
In the country's north, a major bridge was damaged by a rapidly swelling river. A video shared by news agency Reuters showed rescuers airlifting people to safety.
Another video showed how stranded people were aided by rescuers.
Pakistan has more than 7,000 glaciers and they are melting fast because of global warming. The country is among those considered most vulnerable to extreme weather events, AFP reported.
"We are at the moment at the ground zero of the front line of extreme weather events, in an unrelenting cascade of heatwaves, forest fires, flash floods, multiple glacial lake outbursts, flood events and now the monster monsoon of the decade is wreaking non-stop havoc throughout the country," Sherry Rehman, Pakistan's top climate official, was quoted as saying by AP
The catastrophic flooding this year has affected 33 million people, killed 1,061, destroyed 3,000 kilometres of roads, millions of acres of cultivated land and 157 bridges.
The deluge has cut off hundreds of villages in Pakistan's hilly north.
Army helicopters trying to rescue people are facing big challenges.
"There are no landing strips or approaches available... our pilots find it difficult to land," senior officer told AFP.
The Pakistan government has declared in national emergency in wake of the disaster. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has promised that all those who lost their homes will receive government help.
The United Nations has allocated $3 million for Pakistan flood relief.
(With inputs from AP and AFP)
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