Complaint
A viewer complained that a statement by the BBC’s Climate Editor, Justin Rowlatt, that a third of Pakistan had been underwater following severe flooding earlier in 2022 was inaccurate. The ECU considered the complaint in the light of the BBC’s editorial standards of accuracy.
Outcome
As was acknowledged in a subsequent posting by BBC News on the Corrections and Clarifications page of bbc.co.uk, the statement was inaccurate, as experts estimated that about 10% of the country had been underwater at the height of the flooding.
Upheld
Further action
The finding was reported to the Board of BBC News and discussed with the journalists responsible.