ISLAMABAD: Pakistan continues to suffer as deadly monsoon rains, floods, and storms have claimed the lives of at least 242 people and injured nearly 600 others since the start of the season in late June, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The highest number of deaths occurred in Punjab, where 135 people have lost their lives. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), 56 people died, while Sindh reported 24 deaths and Balochistan had 16 fatalities. Other affected areas include Islamabad with 6 deaths, Gilgit-Baltistan with 3, and Azad Kashmir with 2.
The NDMA shared that among the 242 victims were 116 children, 43 women, and 83 men.
The monsoon rains have caused widespread destruction to homes, livestock, and infrastructure:
- 854 homes have been damaged so far.
- In Punjab, 168 houses were destroyed.
- In K-P, 230 houses were damaged.
- Sindh reported 87 damaged homes.
- Gilgit-Baltistan saw 145 homes washed away.
- Balochistan had 64 homes damaged.
- Azad Kashmir reported 104 homes destroyed.
- In Islamabad, 56 houses were damaged.
Additionally, more than 200 animals were lost in the floods. The rains also damaged 10 kilometers of roads and nine bridges across the country.
A spokesperson for the NDMA said that during rescue operations, 450 people were safely evacuated from flood-hit areas.
In the last 24 hours alone, 21 more people died and six were injured due to the ongoing floods. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was once again the hardest hit, with 10 deaths, including six children and two women.
In Islamabad, five people, including three children, were swept away by floodwaters. Two people died in Sindh and one in Gilgit-Baltistan during the same period.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of lives and have directed immediate relief and rescue operations.
Both leaders called on authorities to:
- Speed up relief work in the affected areas.
- Provide full support to provincial governments.
- Ensure proper medical aid, food, and shelter for the victims.
- Begin rapid rehabilitation and infrastructure restoration, especially roads.
Prime Minister Sharif also ordered the National Highway Authority (NHA) and Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) to urgently repair highways and roads damaged by the floods.
Relief teams are already working on clearing blocked roads and helping flood victims. Both leaders promised that every possible effort would be made to protect the people and ease their suffering during this national crisis.
