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Massive floods in Pakistan (16 images)

Flooding brought on by heavy rains in Pakistan is creating a humanitarian and national disaster not seen in generations, a U.N. official said.

Heavy monsoon rains are soaking parts of Asia, triggering massive floods throughout the region. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said more than 1,600 people have died and another 6 million are in need of emergency assistance.

Pakistani authorities said around 2.6 million acres -- around 4,000 square miles -- of crop land are under water and more than 300,000 homes were destroyed.

"Thousands of villages and towns in low-lying areas have not seen flooding on this scale in generations," Andrej Mahecic, a spokesman for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, was quoted by the United Nations as saying.

OCHA said it received more than $44 million for flood relief, with another $91 million pledged. The U.S. Agency for International Development said it was committing another $20 million in financial assistance.

"Our response is consistent with our humanitarian values and our deep commitment to Pakistan," a statement from the U.S. State Department read.

Heavy rain and flooding have cut parts of Pakistan off from the rest of the country, though U.N. agencies said weather conditions have improved.



Homes are surround by flood waters near the Muzaffargarh district in Punjab, Pakistan on August 10, 2010. An estimated 13 million Pakistanis have been affected by the worst floods in the country's history. UPI/Sajjad Ali Qureshi
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An aerial view from a Pakistan army rescue helicopter shows the flooded area of Sukkur in the Sindh province of Pakistan on August 7, 2010. Torrential rains frustrated aid efforts in Pakistan, with some helicopters grounded as authorities battled to help 15 million people affected by the country's worst floods ever. UPI/Sajjad Ali Qureshi
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An aerial view from a Pakistan army rescue helicopter shows the flooded area of Sukkur in the Sindh province of Pakistan on August 7, 2010. Torrential rains frustrated aid efforts in Pakistan, with some helicopters grounded as authorities battled to help 15 million people affected by the country's worst floods ever. UPI/Sajjad Ali Qureshi
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U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. John Metcalf (L) a C-130H Hercules aircraft loadmaster, backs cargo off an aircraft in support of humanitarian relief efforts in Pakistan on August 20, 2010. UPI/Andy M. Kin/U.S. Air Force
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