Winter will be a difficult season in Pakistan for children, adding a higher risk of malnutrition and respiratory disease to the already increasing threat of polio after floods devastated parts of the country earlier this year, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday.

It requires 82.1 million U.S. dollars to continue to saves lives in Pakistan, said Daniel Toole, UNICEF's regional director for South Asia.

"The scale of this remains massive," Toole said of the flooding effects. "The impact of the floods in Pakistan will be felt for years to come, so the more we can do now the quicker children and families will recover, and that means urgently needed funds to do our job better."

The floods in Pakistan that began in July 2010 devastated one- fifth of the country and impacted some 20.3 million people. The waters destroyed much infrastructure and ruined health centers in rural areas, which has made the health situation of many Pakistanis more precarious.

"Although most people have returned to their home areas, many have returned to near total destruction -- with no homes, no crops, no food and no cash," said Toole.

"In the north, snow has fallen and we are delivering winter clothes and supplies to help families prepare for a harsh winter, while in the south very slow receding waters have meant over a million lives are still on hold. The coming cold months will sharply increase the numbers of respiratory infections and malnutrition, two of the biggest killers of Pakistani children," he said.

A recent polio outbreak is also a threat, according to UNICEF. Polio infections are up from 2009 in Pakistan, which is one of the four polio endemic countries in the world. Poor sanitation due to the floods has increased this threat for young people.

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