United Nations ( CNN ) -- The United Nations estimates more than a billion dollars damage from the Pakistan flooding . In a phone conference to reporters in New York Friday , the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Pakistan said the cost to rebuild the affected parts of the country `` has to be measured in terms of hundreds of millions of dollars , if not more than a billion . '' Martin Mogwanja , the UN 's coordinator in Islamabad , Pakistan , said , `` There is going to be a tremendous cost in terms of repairing roads , bridges , telecommunications and electricity infrastructure , '' and most importantly , the farming and irrigation infrastructure . The United Nations is preparing an initial flood emergency response plan to address the immediate needs of Pakistan and the affected population , he said . Mogwanja said the response will cover 90 days initially and `` will address the most pressing needs in the area of food security , health care , sanitation and shelter . '' The U.N. plan and a flash appeal for funding will be introduced to the international community in the near future , he said . `` An estimated 1,400 people have been killed by the flood waters so far , but this number may rise as new bodies may be found , '' said Mogwanja . The terrain is so waterlogged that many families ca n't bury their loved ones at traditional burial grounds . Some people are traveling to higher ground to conduct burials , and others are waiting for family members and the appropriate time , Mogwanja said . `` It is indeed , a very , very sad occasion , '' he said . `` More than 250,000 homes have been badly damaged or destroyed , leaving at least 1.5 million people homeless , '' said Mogwanja . To help combat homelessness , the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees has provided more than 11,000 tents . Pakistan has reported that at least 12 million people are affected by the flood but Mogwanja said only 4 million have been affected and that the estimate could rise . `` These estimates that we are providing are based upon the figures that we are receiving from the disaster management authorities in different provinces , '' Mogwanja said . He said monsoon season could last two to four weeks and that the United Nations and its partners have been providing emergency assistance since the start of the flood . The priorities which have been provided for so far include : 500 metric tons of food from the World Food Programme , clean drinking water from UNICEF to more than 700,000 people , and 40 cholera kits from the World Health Organization to health centers in Pakistan . `` However , this is only a small fraction of what is required , given the scale of this disaster and also its geographic scope , spreading across the poor , large provinces of the country , '' Mogwanja said .
U.N. estimates more than a billion dollars damage from the Pakistan flooding . Pakistan preparing initial flood emergency response plan to address the immediate needs . U.N. estimates 1,400 people killed by the flood waters so far , but the number may rise .