Pakistan Monsoon Death Toll 180 After 63 Die In One Day

(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Heavy monsoon rains across Pakistan's Punjab province killed at least 63 people and injured nearly 300 in the past 24 hours, provincial officials said yesterday, bringing the nationwide death toll from the rains to nearly 180 since late June.
It was one of the deadliest days of this year's rainy season so far.
The downpours caused flooding and building collapses, with most of the deaths caused by the roofs of weaker homes failing. Lahore, the eastern provincial capital, reported 15 deaths, Faisalabad nine, and the farming towns of Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpattan several more.
Since late June, the monsoon rains have killed 103 people and injured 393 in Punjab alone, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA). More than 120 homes were damaged in the province and six livestock killed.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said more than 1,000 homes had been damaged overall.
A high flood alert was issued for the River Jhelum at the northern town of Mangla, where water inflows were expected to surge to high levels, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. Authorities warned that adjoining streams could also overflow in the next 24 hours, putting nearby communities at risk.
Torrential rain has poured almost without pause across parts of Punjab province since Wednesday morning, causing urban flooding and houses to collapse.
Rescue teams used boats to evacuate families from villages along the river further south in the morning, but the water had begun to recede by the afternoon.
“Children were screaming for help, and women stood on rooftops, waving their shawls and begging to be rescued,” said Tariq Mehbood Bhatti, a 51-year-old farmer in Ladian village.
Residents living in low-lying areas near the Nullah Lai river that runs through Rawalpindi city, neighbouring the capital Islamabad, were ordered to evacuate after a sharp rise in the water level.
“Rescue teams are on standby for more evacuations,” a spokeswoman for the disaster agency said.
“Residents of vulnerable areas should prepare emergency kits with food, water, and essential medicines for three to five days in case of an emergency,” the NDMA added in an alert.
The Rawalpindi government declared a public holiday yesterday to keep people at home, with the national meteorological department warning that heavy rain would continue until today.
Around 180 people have been killed, including 70 children, and about 500 injured since the start of the monsoon on June 26, according to the disaster agency.
The majority of deaths were caused by collapsed houses and sudden flash floods, while dozens were also electrocuted.
Monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80% of its annual rainfall, and runs from June until September in India and Pakistan.
The annual rains are vital for agriculture and food security, and the livelihoods of millions of farmers, but also bring destruction.
South Asia is getting hotter and has seen shifting weather patterns in recent years, but scientists are unclear on how exactly a warming planet is affecting the highly complex monsoon.
Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 255 million residents are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency.
In 2022, monsoon floods submerged a third of the country and killed 1,700 people.

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