Monsoon rains in Pakistan have been linked to more than 110 deaths including dozens of children since they arrived in late June, according to government figures released Monday.
Data from the national disaster agency between June 26 and July 14 showed that electrocution was the leading cause of fatalities, followed by flash floods.
In late June, at least 13 tourists were swept to their deaths while sheltering from flash floods on a raised river bank. In its latest report, the disaster agency said 111 people including 53 children have been killed, with the highest number of deaths in the most populous province of Punjab.
Meanwhile, the national meteorological service has issued a warning for further heavy rainfall in the northern and eastern regions of the country, with the potential for urban flooding, landslides, and infrastructure damage due to strong winds.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned that “heavy to very heavy rainfall” could unleash flash floods in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, parts of Balochistan, Kashmir, Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan and mudslides in Gilgit-Baltistan are also possible, while windstorms may damage trees, poles, vehicles and standing crops.
“The combination of monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal, and a strong westerly wave, will intensify rainfall across the country,” said a Met Office spokesperson. This dual weather system is likely to persist over the coming days.
In the past 24 hours, Okara (72mm), Sahiwal (66mm), and DG Khan (51mm) led rainfall reports in Punjab, while Swat, Kalam, and Malam Jabba received steady precipitation in K-P. Urban flooding remains a significant concern for cities like Lahore, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, and Peshawar.
Pakistan is one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 240 million residents are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency.
In 2022, unprecedented monsoon floods submerged a third of Pakistan and killed 1,700 people, with some areas yet to recover from the damage. In May, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms, including strong hailstorms.
