Pakistan floods 'heart-wrenching' Ban Ki-moon

The government of Pakistan says up to 20 million people have now been affected by the monsoon floods. At least 1,500 are known to have lost their lives.
Health experts are warning that the threat of epidemics in flood-hit areas is growing rapidly.
"This has been a heart-wrenching day for me and for my delegation," Mr Ban said at a press conference, stood alongside President Zardari.
"I will never forget the destruction and suffering I have witnessed today. In the past I have seen scenes of natural disaster around the world, but nothing like this. The scale of this disaster is so large. So many people in so many places in so much need."
He announced a further $10m from the UN's central emergency response fund, making a total of $27m from the fund so far, and repeated his calls for the international community to come to Pakistan's aid.
"The people of Pakistan need food, emergency shelters, medicines, clean water," he said. "We are all deeply concerned about the spread of diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases. All our combined medical capacity will be needed to provide the right drugs and care."
The flooding began more than two weeks ago in the mountainous north-west of Pakistan and has swept south across a quarter of the country including its agricultural heartland.
The International Monetary Fund has warned that the floods could have dire long-term economic consequences for a country already reliant on foreign aid.
On Wednesday the UN launched a $459m (£294m) appeal for emergency aid for Pakistan. It said that billions of dollars would be needed in the long term.
The US has already donated at least $70m to the country, which is a key regional ally in fighting terrorism.

Other disasters seen by Ban Ki-moon
• 2005 tsunami killed nearly a quarter of a million people in 13 countries
• Earthquake centred in Northern Pakistan and state of Kashmir in 2005 killed more than 79,000 people
• Cyclone Nargis in 2008, killed about 140,000 people in Burma
• Chilean earthquake in February 2010 killed almost 500 people
• Haiti earthquake in January 2010 killed more than 200,000 people
• Earthquake in Qinghai province, China, in April 2010 killed more than 2,000 people