ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s monsoon death toll has risen to 136 after 10 more people were killed in rain-related incidents across Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) over the past 24 hours, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Monday.
The latest deaths were caused by drowning, house collapses and a falling boulder, according to the NDMA’s latest situation report. The authority said 418 people have also been injured since the monsoon season began on June 26.
Of the 10 killed, three died in Punjab, two in KP and the remaining five in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province, the NDMA report said. The NDMA warned of more heavy rains in the next 24 to 36 hours in its report.
“Under the influence of low-pressure system, currently lying over west Rajasthan (India) with moderate supporting monsoon currents coupled with shallow trough of westerly wave, a wet spell in which isolated heavy falls are expected over Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northeast Balochistan,” it said.
The NDMA has warned that heavy rains till August 6 can trigger flash floods in Punjab and KP provinces in its previous outlooks. In the situation report released on Monday, it warned that River Chenab at Marala, Khanki and Qadirabad is expected to fluctuate between “low to medium” flood levels during the period.
It also warned that “medium to high” level of water flows are expected in the nullahs of Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi.
“Flash flooding is expected in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan, the streams of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, river Kabul and its associated tributaries, and northern Balochistan,” it added.
“Urban flooding is also expected in Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Gujrat, Narowal and Faisalabad.”
Pakistan has grappled with extremely irregular weather patterns over the past couple of years, which range from heatwaves, droughts to flash floods.
Despite contributing less than 1 percent of the global greenhouse gas emissions, it is recognized as one of the most adversely affected countries due to climate change impacts.
Last year, above-average monsoon rains and flooding killed more than 1,000 people and caused widespread damage to homes, roads, agricultural land and public infrastructure, with Punjab among the hardest-hit provinces.
