Islamabad, Aug 19 (EFE).- More than 202 people, including over 100 children, have died, and hundreds more injured due to monsoon rains across Pakistan in the last nearly 50 days, authorities reported on Monday.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned of more rainfall and potential flash flooding in the upper regions of the country on Tuesday.
“As of Sunday, 202 people, including 101 children, have died and 392 others, including 150 children, have been injured in rain-related incidents across the country from July 1 to Aug 18,” NDMA spokeswoman Sara Malik told EFE.
According to an NDMA report released on Sunday, Punjab province suffered the highest number of fatalities, with 80 deaths, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 65 deaths.
More than 2,300 houses have been damaged, the report noted. Additionally, 357 livestock perished in rain-related incidents nationwide.
In the last 24 hours alone, seven people were killed and 30 injured.
Looking ahead, the NDMA anticipates more rains, wind, and thunderstorms with isolated heavy showers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan regions starting Monday, according to state-run Radio Pakistan.
The disaster body warned that torrential rains in the northern regions and urged authorities and the public to take necessary precautions against potential flooding and landslides.
Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This year, the South Asian nation experienced its “wettest April since 1961.” In 2022, unprecedented heavy rains triggered flash floods that claimed over 1,700 lives and caused economic losses exceeding $30 billion. EFE
aa-ssk