by B. R. GOWANI
33 million people have been affected by the “monsoon on steroids”
(i.e., 8 million more than the population of Australia which is 26 million)
with 242 million people, Pakistan is world’s 5th most populated country
1 in 7 people in Pakistan are sleeping out in the open due to this tragedy
extreme rainfall has pushed 1/3rd of Pakistan under water
Federal Minister of Climate Change Sherry Rehman told TRT World
“[By the time the rains recede,] we could well have one-fourth or one-third of Pakistan under water.”
about 800,000 livestock have perished …
agricultural land inundated with water covers more than 2 million acres
1,200 plus people have lost their lives …
1.2 million homes have been destroyed
more than 3,000 miles of roads have been washed away
240 bridges have collapsed
after the North & South Poles, Pakistan has the most glacial ice
she has 7,253 known glaciers …
Pakistan’s global emissions of planet-warming gases is just 1%
but …
is paying a heavy price for other countries’ emissions of gases
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has described the tragedy thus:
“The Pakistani people are facing a monsoon on steroids — the relentless impact of epochal levels of rain and flooding.”
Guterres has appealed for $160 million help for Pakistan’s flood victims
floods have caused $10 billion damage (1,000 million = 1 billion)
United States is a major contributor to excess carbon dioxide
the United States has offered just $1.1 million, that is $1,100,000
Bangladesh’s offer: 80 million Takas, i.e., $842,105 (1 US dollar = 95 Takas)
US is the world’s richest country; Bangladesh is a very poor country
the US aid to Ukraine in 2022, to bleed Russia, is more than $54 billion
Just saying ….
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com