Disasters & Accidents

‘Overwhelmed’ Jolie makes impassioned plea for aid to flood-ravaged Pakistan

Islamabad, Sep 22 (EFE).- American actor and humanitarian Angelina Jolie has made an emotional plea for global relief to help Pakistan in coping with a “never seen” before flood devastation.

“I have never seen anything like this (…) I am overwhelmed,” Jolie said in a video message released on Thursday.

She made the emotional remarks during her visit to National Flood Response and Coordination Center in Islamabad on Wednesday.

Jolie arrived in Pakistan on Tuesday to draw international attention to the unfolding humanitarian crisis triggered by the heaviest floods in decades that have killed 1,600 and displaced 33 million people.

“I think this is a real wake up call to the world about where we are at,” she said.

“I am absolutely with you (Pakistan) in pushing the international community to do more.”

The humanitarian said the countries that cause less environmental damage were “now bearing the brunt of the disaster and the pain and the death.”

“The climate change is not only real, it is not only coming, it is very much here.”

The unprecedented rains in 30 years, followed by massive floods, have wreaked havoc in Pakistan.

The country suffered four heat waves during the year that caused glacier melting in the north.

The government and the UN have blamed climate change for the catastrophe.

Government data showed that 560 children were among the dead due to the floods since the monsoon season began in mid-June.

Water-borne diseases like diarrhea, malaria, dengue fever, and skin and eye infections have spread due to stagnant floodwaters spread over hundreds of kilometers in the southern Sindh province.

The disease outbreaks have killed at least 324 people in the worst-affected province.

Hundreds of thousands of people displaced by the floods are in the open.

Jolie said appeals for relief and support were made often, but “the situation in Pakistan is very different.”

“We are in a situation like this, where the needs are so great and truly every effort is either a life or death for so many people.”

She said more was needed to be done due to the scale of the catastrophe.

“If enough aid does not come, they won’t be here in the next few weeks, they won’t make it,” Jolie warned about the survivors battling for their lives.

“My heart is very, very much with people at this time.” EFE

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