LAHORE:
At least 70 people died in the past 48 hours as relentless monsoon rains continue to wreak havoc across Punjab, raising the provincial death toll to 123 since late June, Express News reported. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed widespread damage due to roof collapses, landslides, and flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall.
Read: Flood-hit Pindi swamped by waste, stench
At least 462 people have been injured since the onset of the monsoon spell on June 25, while several low-lying areas remain inundated. The highest number of fatalities was recorded on Friday, with 10 deaths reported from Lahore, Chiniot, Okara, Chakwal and Sargodha.
Chiniot and Lahore each recorded three deaths, while Okara saw two and both Chakwal and Sargodha reported one fatality each.
Read more: Traders count losses as floods ravage markets
Chakwal remains the worst-affected district, where intense rainfall has caused severe landslides and flooding in local streams, displacing residents and damaging homes.
PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia stated that more than 1,000 people have been rescued from the Pothohar region alone, including 450 from Rawalpindi, 398 from Jhelum, and 209 from Chakwal.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned that a new spell of torrential rainfall is expected to begin from July 20. Thunderstorms, flash floods, and landslides are forecast across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.
Also read: Severe monsoon forecast triggers red alerts in several provinces
High flood levels are expected in the Indus River at Kalabagh and Chashma, prompting authorities to issue high alerts and urge local administrations to implement emergency plans. District governments have been instructed to remain on standby, issue early warnings, and prepare shelters for residents in vulnerable regions.
