At least 27.7 million children in 27 countries have been affected by floods this year, a record in more than 30 years, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned yesterday.

"We are witnessing unprecedented levels of flooding around the world this year and, with them, an explosion of threats to children," said Paloma Escudero, head of the UNICEF delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), in a statement released yesterday and quoted by Lusa.

"The climate crisis is here. In many places, the floods are the worst seen in a generation, or several. Our children are already suffering on a scale that their parents never suffered," Escudero said.

According to UNICEF, a large majority of the 27.7 million children affected by the floods in 2022 are highly vulnerable and at high risk of threats such as death by drowning, disease outbreaks, lack of clean water, malnutrition, learning disabilities, and violence.

The most serious situations are in countries like Chad, Gambia, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

The United Nations recently warned that some communities could face famine if humanitarian assistance is not sustained and climate adaptation measures are not scaled up.

In addition to the threat to the lives of millions of children, the flood waters have disrupted essential services and displaced countless families.

Last month, UNICEF estimated that at least 615 children died in Pakistan due to the catastrophic floods that have ravaged the country since June and have already left more than 1,700 dead.

According to Paloma Escudero, "COP27 offers the opportunity to draw a credible roadmap with clear milestones for climate adaptation finance and solutions for loss and damage."

UNICEF, in addition to pressuring governments and big business to rapidly reduce emissions, urges leaders to take immediate action to protect children from the ravages of climate by adapting the critical social services they depend on through adaptation measures such as creating flood- and drought-resistant water, health, and education systems.

Last year, developed countries agreed to double to $40 billion per year support for adaptation by 2025. At COP27, they must present a credible plan with clear milestones on this goal.

UNICEF's immediate humanitarian response to flood-affected countries includes the sectors of health, nutrition, sanitation, child protection and education.

Lack of funding, however, has hampered the response in many countries, according to the UN fund. For example, the funding gap for the humanitarian response in Pakistan currently stands at 85 percent.