Pakistan flooding deaths pass 1,000 in ‘climate catastrophe’

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Officials in Pakistan say deaths from widespread flooding have topped 1,000 since mid-June and the country’s climate minister called the deadly monsoon season “a serious climate catastrophe.” Flash flooding from the heavy rains has washed away villages and crops as soldiers and rescue workers evacuated stranded residents to the safety of relief camps and provided food to thousands of displaced Pakistanis. The country’s National Disaster Management Authority reported Sunday the death toll since the monsoon season began earlier than normal this year in mid-June. Deaths reached 1,061 people after new fatalities were reported in several different provinces.