ISLAMABAD: Rainfall, 500 percent heavier than usual, triggered the worst floods in the country, claiming over 1,200 lives, washing away swathes of vital crops and damaging or destroying more than million homes in the country.

This was stated by Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal while addressing a joint news conference with NDMA Chairman Lt-General Akhtar Nawaz and ISPR Director General Maj-Gen Babar Iftikhar after attending the maiden meeting of National Flood Response Coordination Centre (NFRCC) in Islamabad.

Mr Iqbal said about 33 million people were affected by the powerful floodwaters throughout the country. “Heavy monsoon rainfall since mid-June have led to more than a third of the country now being underwater,” he added.

Earlier, the first NFRCC meeting was informed of the latest flood situation in the country and the response measures taken to rescue and provide relief to the affected people. The attendees were also informed of the rehabilitation plan for the affected areas, communication, and infrastructure.