Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has offered to Bangladesh amid recent catastrophic floods triggered by heavy rains, killing at least 15 people and millions more caught in the deluge.

“Pakistan is ready to help the people of Bangladesh in this difficult time,” he said in a letter to Bangladesh Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus on Friday.

Flash floods wrought havoc in the South Asian country on Friday as the country recovers from weeks of political upheaval, with the death toll rising to 15 and millions more caught in the deluge.

The nation of 170 million people, crisscrossed by hundreds of rivers, has seen frequent floods in recent decades.

Monsoon rains cause widespread destruction every year, but climate change is shifting weather patterns and increasing the number of extreme weather events.

PM Shehbaz expressed Pakistan’s solidarity with Bangladesh during the challenging time, saying that the country stood with those who lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods in the floods.

He lauded the people of Bangladesh for their “renowned bravery and courage, particularly in the face of adversity”.

The prime minister expressed confidence that Bangladesh’s leadership would guide the country through the challenging period.

He earlier said he was “deeply perturbed at the loss of life and devastation caused by the floods in Bangladesh”.

“I extend my deepest sympathies to the people of Bangladesh and the families of the victims,” he said, “Pakistan stands in solidarity with Bangladesh in this moment of tragedy”.