The United Nations secretary-general warned today of the "horrible price" countries are paying for the world's dependence on fossil fuels, giving as an example Pakistan now devastated by floods, several international news websites write.

"Pakistan and other developing countries are paying a horrible price for the intransigence of the big emitters who continue to rely on fossil fuels," António Guterres said in a tweet before visiting flooded areas in the south of that country.

"From Islamabad, I make a global appeal: stop this madness. Invest now in renewable energy. Stop the war against nature," added the top UN leader quoted by the Observer.

Since June about 1,400 people have died in the floods in Pakistan, which have increased in intensity due to global warming.

The torrential monsoon rains have covered a third of the country - an area equivalent to the United Kingdom - destroying homes, businesses, roads, bridges, and agricultural crops.

Guterres hopes his visit will encourage the international community to provide financial support to the country, which he estimates will need at least $10 billion to repair and rebuild damaged or destroyed infrastructure.

The monsoon, which usually lasts from June to September, is essential for irrigating crops and replenishing the water resources of the Indian subcontinent. But Pakistan has not seen such sustained rainfall for at least three decades.