More than 1,000 killed from historic monsoon flooding in Pakistan

July and August are typically the rainiest months but officials said some areas have received five times the average rainfall

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan – Widespread flooding across Pakistan is blamed for killing at least 1,000 people and has forced the country to declare an emergency.

The United Nations said the southwest Asian country has received more than five times their average rainfall and has prevented some aid from reaching the hardest hit areas.

The organization reports more than 600,000 homes have been damaged or destroyed, and 33 million residents have been affected.

In addition to housing, the agricultural sector has also been hit hard by the heavy rains. 

Authorities estimate around 2 million acres of crops and nearly 800,000 livestock have been impacted.

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TOPSHOT - Girls use a temporary raft across a flooded street in a residential area after heavy monsoon rains in Karachi on July 26, 2022. - A weather emergency was declared in Karachi as heavier-than-usual monsoon rains continue to lash Pakistan's biggest city, flooding homes and making streets impassable. (RIZWAN TABASSUM/AFP via Getty Images)

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Childern wade across at a flood affected town called Gandawah in Jhal Magsi district, southwestern province of Balochistan, Pakistan on August 2, 2022. - Fierce monsoon rains and deadly flooding have hit Pakistan hard this year particularly in Balochistan province, bordering Iran and Afghanistan. At least 478 people have died so far, including 136 in Balochistan. (BANARAS KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)

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HYDERABAD, PAKISTAN, JULY 24: People hardly drive their vehicles through flooded street following heavy monsoon rains which submerged low lying areas causing property damages to houses in Hyderabad, southern Sindh province, Pakistan, on July 24 2022. More than 300 people have lost their lives in floods due to heavy monsoon in Pakistan since monsoon season have started in June 2022. (Abid Zia/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

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People wade across a flooded street after heavy monsoon rainfall in Karachi on July 25, 2022. (ASIF HASSAN/AFP via Getty Images)

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TOPSHOT - A man rides his donkey cart through a flooded street after a heavy rain shower in Lahore on July 14, 2022. (Photo by ARIF ALI/AFP via Getty Images)

Officials say the world’s fifth-most populous country relies heavily on the agricultural and farming communities for a constant source of sustenance and livelihoods.

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Pakistan typically experiences monsoon rains during July and August, but this year’s event has been significantly more severe than previous seasons.

The U.N. reports rainfall nationwide is 2.87 times higher than the national 30-year average, which has caused hundreds of miles of roads and 145 bridges to become inoperable.

More than $173 million in aid has been pledged by the Pakistani government, and the country has sought international help fending off any potential humanitarian crisis.

Aid agencies say a lack of suitable infrastructure has prevented vital services and supplies from reaching the hardest hit provinces.

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It's estimated more than 50 percent of communities face challenges from the extreme weather.

In addition to flooding, the Pakistan Meteorological Department warned that rain-induced landslides and dam failures are possible along several waterways, including the Indus River.