Pakistan: Angelina Jolie visits flood-hit areas – Asks for extra aid for victims

THE Angelina Jolie visited the flood damaged Pakistan. The purpose of her trip is to draw the attention of the international community to the unfolding humanitarian crisis in the country.

The floods caused by record rains in Pakistan’s northern highlands have submerged a third of the country’s land, claiming the lives of more than 1,500 peoplesweeping away houses, roads, railways, livestock and fields.

The American Hollywood star estimated that the devastating floods that hit Pakistan should be danger signal for the world on the effects of climate change, while calling for aid to be provided to the country as soon as possible after visiting victims of the disaster. “I’ve never seen anything like it before,” Jolie, special envoy of his High Commission, said yesterday Wednesday UN for Refugees (UNHCR). The American actress had visited Pakistan after two other natural disasters: the deadly earthquake of 2005 and the major floods of 2010.

This year’s floods were caused by torrential monsoon rains and melting glaciers in Pakistan, two phenomena which scientists believe have been exacerbated by climate change. A third of the country is now under water, and the death toll since June is approaching 1,600, according to the latest official count. More than 7 million people have been displaced, with many now living in makeshift camps without mosquito protection, sanitation and drinking water.

“I’m here firmly on your side to push the international community to do more (…). It’s a real danger signal to the world about where we are” in terms of global warming, Jolie added during a meeting with civilian and military officials in Islamabad, the Athens News Agency reported.

“Climate change is not just real, it’s not coming, it’s already here”he underlined.

The actress visited Sindh province, one of the most affected, where she spoke to displaced people living in camps. The UN has warned that Pakistan is now threatened by “a second disaster” due to diseases including dengue fever, cholera, malaria, diarrhea and malnutrition.

“I talked to people who told me thati not enough help, that they won’t be there in a few weeks, they won’t survive. There are too many children severely malnourishedAngelina Jolie complained.