Pakistan has been hit by its worst floods in recent memory
It was already reeling from economic and political crises
his year had already been cruel to Pakistan. The country has endured double-digit inflation for months, driven by soaring food and fuel prices. The value of its rupee has plunged as foreign reserves have dwindled. The ousting of Imran Khan in April failed to restore longed-for political stability; followers of the former prime minister took to the streets to hound his successor. Now a terrible natural disaster has increased the pain.
For two months vast swathes of Pakistan have been inundated by its heaviest rainfall on record. Over 1,100 people have been killed, and early estimates put the costs at $10bn. On August 30th the climate minister said that one-third of the country was under water; the government declared 72 out of 160 districts to be disaster zones (see map). The past few days have brought more than 100 deaths and the destruction of thousands of houses, as flash floods in northern Pakistan washed buildings from the riverbanks.
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