Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif asked Friday for international help in battling deadly flood damage in the impoverished nation, as rescuers struggled to evacuate thousands of marooned people from flood-hit areas.

Sharif's appeal on Twitter came as exceptionally heavy rain continued lashing Pakistan, and the death toll reached 937 since mid-June, more than one-third of them children.

The crisis has forced the government to declare a state of emergency.

"The ongoing rain spell has caused devastation across the country," he tweeted, thanking other countries and groups for their support. "Together we will build back better."

Later, he met with foreign diplomats and representatives of international aid agencies to brief them about the damages. A government statement quoted Sharif as saying 300 children were among the dead.