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Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has announced his support for the local Pakistani community following the disastrous floods and monsoons in Pakistan.
The mayor's office is in contact with the Pakistani general consulate in Houston, pledging aid for victims and their families.
"An estimated 60,000 to 80,000 people of Pakistani descent live in the Houston area," the mayor said in a news release. " We are all shocked and saddened by the horrific images of widespread damage, and our collective hearts go out to them as the devastating flooding has claimed lives and property. We stand with our local Pakistani community and pledge to do our part to assist with local relief efforts."
The floods and monsoons in Pakistan have claimed more than 1,000 lives, including more than 300 children, CNN reports. This is the worst natural disaster for Pakistan in over a decade, according to Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman. Pakistan is currently on its eighth cycle of monsoon season, with giant flood torrents ripping through villages and communities.
Relief efforts are underway as the Pakistani army is assisting in evacuation, and providing food and shelter to victims and their families. Flood relief centers are being set up for fleeing families whose homes were destroyed, CNN says.
According to BBC News, the amount of rain and flooding is unprecedented and climate change is largely to blame. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said, "village after village has been wiped out. Millions of houses have been destroyed." A growing concern for Pakistan is the cost of disaster recovery, which early estimates show could be at least $10 billion in damages.
The United States Agency for International Development has sent $100,000 in relief to Pakistan to assist the victims and their families. The U.S. affirmed its commitment to support Pakistan.
The consulate general of Pakistan in Houston promoted the prime minister's Flood Relief Fund 2022 in a press release laying out details on how to donate. The Flood Relief Fund says, "around 7.5 million livestock and standing crops on 2 million acres are lost so far. The rainfall continues and the extent of damage is unfolding to an epic scale." Donations can be made through wire transfer, transfer through money service bureaus, money transfer operators, exchange houses or through Roshan Digital Account.
Turner commissioned the Houston City Hall building to shine the colors of the Pakistan flag to honor the victims and their families, the news release said. The building shone green and white on Sunday night. Turner expressed his condolences and promised to help with local relief. The mayor has been working with the Consulate General of Pakistan in Houston to coordinate these efforts.