The UN is to launch an appeal to help Pakistan tackle the country's worst flooding in 80 years.

聯(lián)合國將呼吁世界各國幫助巴基斯坦處理其80年以來最嚴(yán)重的洪災(zāi)。

Pakistan says an urgent relief effort is needed to help those affected by the floods

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon issued an urgent plea for donors to "generously support Pakistan at this difficult time".

A UN official said the disaster had now affected nearly 14 million people - eclipsing（重疊） the scale of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.

At least 1,600 people are known to have died so far in Pakistan.

"We will soon issue an... appeal for several hundred million dollars to respond to immediate needs," Mr Ban told a news conference.

UN officials and the Pakistani government have appealed for more international help as the monsoon rains（季風(fēng)雨） show little sign of abating（減少，緩和） .

The flood waters which devastated the north-west of the country have moved south to the agricultural heartland of Punjab and on to Sindh.

The torrents（激流，奔流） are battering（混合，打碎） the key Sukkur Barrage, threatening to further inundate（淹沒，泛濫） large areas of Sindh.

Upper Sindh is already under water, and two million people have fled the province as the Indus river threatens to burst its banks.