Queen, World Leaders Send Support as 1,000 Killed in Pakistan Floods

Queen Elizabeth II and other world leaders have shared messages of support as over 1,000 people have died due to widespread flooding in Pakistan.

Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority reported on Sunday that the death toll since the monsoon season began earlier than usual in the middle of June had reached 1,061.

A third of the country is under water and 33 million people are affected, Sherry Rehman, the country's climate change minister, said on Sky News on Monday.

Helicopters are struggling to find dry land to deliver goods to those left stranded, she said. "There are many harrowing and heartbreaking scenes of trauma and distress," she added. "This is a huge humanitarian disaster and I would call it quite apocalyptic."

Others on Twitter have shared videos of the flooding in the country.

Pakistan's government has appealed for international assistance as the military and volunteers continue to try to evacuate those left stranded across the country.

Messages and pledges of support have come from leaders around the world.

The Royal Family's Twitter account shared a message that the Queen sent to Pakistan's president.

"I am deeply saddened to hear of the tragic loss of life and destruction caused by the floods across Pakistan," the message said. "My thoughts are will all those who have been affected, as well as those working in difficult circumstances to support the recovery efforts. The United Kingdom stands in solidarity with Pakistan as you recover from these terrible events."

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the U.K. is "sending support and continues to stand by the people of Pakistan in their hour of need."

"It's heartbreaking to see the continuing devastation wrought by the floods in Pakistan," Johnson tweeted.

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau tweeted: "Like many Canadians across the country, I'm thinking of everyone affected by the devastating flooding in Pakistan.

"Canada is providing support through @UNCERF and @redcrosscanada – to provide food, clean water, and other essential services as quickly as possible."

French President Emmanuel Macron wrote: "Our thoughts go out to the Pakistani people facing terrible floods, to the families of the countless people missing and to the populations affected. France stands ready to provide help."

Pakistan's prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has said he is "grateful to the international community for their sympathies, condolences & pledges of support. Together we will build back better."

Rehman has called what Pakistan is experiencing a "serious climate catastrophe."

"We are at the moment at the ground zero of the front line of extreme weather events, in an unrelenting cascade of heatwaves, forest fires, flash floods, multiple glacial lake outbursts, flood events and now the monster monsoon of the decade is wreaking non-stop havoc throughout the country," she said in a video that was posted by the country's ambassador to the European Union.

Pakistan's deadly floods come as many parts of the world have seen extreme weather events, including record heat and flooding in the U.S.