In a tragic development, heavy rains in Pakistan have been associated with 54 fatalities over the past 24 hours, raising the total death toll to approximately 180 since the onset of the monsoon season in late June, according to the government’s disaster agency report released on Thursday.
Since Wednesday morning, parts of Punjab province have been inundated with relentless torrential rain, leading to significant urban flooding.
Residents in Rawalpindi, adjacent to the capital Islamabad, are facing mandatory evacuation orders due to a significant increase in the river’s water level.
A spokeswoman for the National Disaster Management Authority reported to AFP that in the past 24 hours, 54 individuals lost their lives and 227 sustained injuries throughout Pakistan, with the highest number of fatalities occurring in Punjab. The toll was recorded at 8:00 am (0300 GMT) on Thursday.
According to her statement, approximately 180 individuals have lost their lives, including 70 children, with around 500 others reported injured since the onset of the monsoon on June 26.
In a move to ensure public safety, the government of Rawalpindi has announced a public holiday for Thursday. This decision comes in response to warnings from the national meteorological department, which has indicated that heavy rainfall is expected to persist until Friday.
The government has urged residents of vulnerable areas to assemble emergency kits containing food, water, and essential medications sufficient for three to five days in anticipation of potential emergencies.
In 2022, catastrophic monsoon floods inundated one-third of the nation, resulting in the tragic loss of 1,700 lives.
