Monsoon floods claim 831 lives across Pakistan

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 31 : Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has confirmed 16 new deaths in the last two days, bringing the total death toll from flooding and rain-related incidents across the country over the past two months to 831, The Express Tribune reported on Saturday.

According to The Express Tribune, floods, caused by heavy monsoon rains, have caused widespread destruction, leaving thousands stranded and displaced while severely damaging homes, infrastructure, and crops.

Three transboundary rivers that flow through the country's Punjab province have risen to dangerously high levels, impacting over 2,300 villages.

According to the NDMA's data, the province of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) is the hardest hit, with 480 deaths, followed by Punjab with 191 fatalities, The Express Tribune reported.

Meanwhile, Sindh reported 58 deaths, Balochistan 24, PoGB 41, PoK 29, and Islamabad 8. Children are among the victims, with 219 minors dead, alongside 128 women and 484 men.

The floods have devastated infrastructure, washing away 238 bridges and submerging 661 kilometres of roads. Approximately 9,000 homes have been destroyed, and more than 6,000 livestock have been lost, The Express Tribune reported.

Over 35,000 people have been displaced, mostly housed in relief camps.

KP accounts for the largest displaced population with 26,000 people, followed by Punjab with 6,000, and PoGB with 3,000.

In response, authorities have conducted 1,880 rescue missions, saving over 500,000 people, 485,000 in Punjab and 14,000 in KP, where many were moved to safer, higher ground, The Express Tribune reported.

Relief efforts continue as officials work to support affected communities and curb the disaster's impact.

Heavy rainfall persists across much of Pakistan, with forecasts predicting more downpours. Floodwaters recently reached Lahore's outskirts and threaten to flood Jhang, marking the worst flooding in that area in nearly 40 years.

Irfan Ali Khan, head of Punjab's disaster management agency, described the ongoing rescue efforts as the largest in the province's history. He stated that over 800 boats and 1,300 rescue personnel have been deployed, mainly in rural riverbank areas, The Express Tribune reported.

This catastrophe follows severe landslides in KP in mid-August, which killed over 400 people. The region's proximity to Afghanistan and other factors have complicated relief efforts.

In 2022, Pakistan suffered its worst floods on record, submerging a third of the country, with Sindh the hardest hit, The Express Tribune reported.

This year's disaster highlights Pakistan's increasing vulnerability to climate change and its severe toll on lives and livelihoods.

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