Pakistan has been devastated by what many are calling an unprecedented disaster. Monsoon rains (some weather experts say a year's worth of rain fell in just one day) have caused massive flooding throughout the country, killing many, destroying hundreds of thousands of homes and disrupting the lives of millions. The death toll is estimated to be over 1,500. Below is a story of a late-twenty's man who lost one of his daughters in the flood:

In the area where they were living, water suddenly came gushing through their village with great force. The man and his wife decided to put their four young children on a charpai, each take an end of the charpai and carry their children to higher ground. As they were carrying the 4 children on the charpai through the rushing water, one little girl lost her seating and toppled off the bed into the water and was carried away instantly. The man was suddenly left with a decision - Do I keep holding on the charpai and lose one of my daughters, or drop the charpai in an attempt to save the one and run the very probable risk of losing them all? He held on to the charpai. Shortly after, he cracked.

According to the U.N., more people have been affected by this catastrophe than the Asia earthquake, Indian Ocean tsunami, and the Haiti earthquake combined. Over 20 million Pakistanis are currently suffering from a lack of shelter, food and medical care— and, with the rains still falling and many crops along the Indus River already destroyed, widespread famine is becoming a real possibility. The people of Pakistan need food, emergency shelters, medicine, and clean water; yet aid from other countries has been slow in arriving.

• 4 out 5 Pakistanis affected by the flood depend on agriculture for their livelihood.
• More than 3.2 million acres of crops have been destroyed.
• 85% of residents in the Sindh province remain displaced.
• 1/5 of Pakistan was under water
• The International Monetary Fund has warned that the floods could have long-term economic consequences for a country already reliant on foreign aid.