The World Bank on Wednesday boosted its support to flood-hit Pakistan with an additional pledge of $100 million in emergency funding taking the total aid pledged to $1 billion.
The interest-free aid comes from the bank's fund for the poorest countries, the International Development Association (IDA).
World Bank President Robert Zoellick said in a statement it had made the funding available to finance immediate recovery and longer-term reconstruction needs following a meeting with Pakistani Finance Minister Hafeez Shaikh in Washington DC.
"As the surging Indus river devastates Pakistan, the country needs the world's support to meet urgent humanitarian needs: Food, clean water, sanitation facilities, medical and nutritional supplies, and vaccines," said Zoellick.
Reaffirming the Bank's commitment to helping Pakistanis during the hour of need, Zoellick however said that vital economic, governance and institutional overhaul in the country should continue to maintain donor confidence and continue to provide aid to the eight million people dependent on it for survival.
"Renewed commitment to governance and fiscal reforms will be important to mobilize domestic revenues and ensure that funds reach the poor people it is intended for," Zoellick was quoted in the statement as having told Shaikh.
"The response of donors to the floods will also depend on the government's ability to deliver in this area," he added.
The additional aid from the Washington-based Bank came even as Manuel Bessler, head of the U.N. coordination agency, said the funding had been almost dried up since the beginning of last week.
Massive floods triggered by torrential rains have moved steadily from north to south over the past month, inundating a fifth of the country and affecting 30 per cent of farm land and more than ten per cent of the population (18 million people).
The Pakistani government announced that the country had incurred losses of about $43 billion after the floods washed away huge swathes of the rich farmland on which the country's tottering economy depends.
Meanwhile, United Nations Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Executive Director Anthony Lake said the disaster had affected nearly 8.6 million children.
Terming the situation as a "children's emergency" in many ways, he warned of a potential second wave of death from waterborne diseases that is likely to get much worse if people do not have immediate access to clean water, adequate nutrition, sanitation and vaccination.
Pakistan's government has confirmed 1,645 people have died and 2,479 injured but officials warn that millions are at risk of fatal diseases and food shortages.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.