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Pakistan floods: Flash floods have killed over 700 people and left hundreds missing since June 26, with more intense monsoon spells expected until September 10.
Pakistan is reeling under extreme weather, with nearly 700 dead due to flash floods. (AFP)
Pakistan floods: Flash floods have ravaged parts of Pakistan, killing over 700 people and leaving hundreds missing since June 26, according to the country’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Across Pakistan, 43 people were killed in the last 24 hours in rain-related incidents, taking the total deaths to 750 since the start of the monsoon in June last week, the authority said.
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In its latest update late Tuesday, the NDMA also warned of more intense monsoon spells across the country until September 10.
The Sindh government ordered all private and public educational institutions across Karachi to remain shut on Wednesday after torrential monsoon rain left at least 10 people dead in the densely populated port city, news agency Reuters reported.
The rains began in Karachi on Tuesday, causing widespread flooding as rainfall reached levels not seen in years in some parts of the southern city, which is Pakistan’s financial capital and biggest city – home to more than 20 million people.
Around 178 mm of rain was recorded in the northeast of Karachi, the highest since the weather station there was set up five years ago.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief Asim Munir visited northwest Pakistan’s worst flood-ravaged Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where the death toll due to torrential rains has risen to 380 since August 15.
Sharif, Munir, and several federal ministers visited the flood-affected districts of Swat, Buner, Shangla, and Swabi and received a comprehensive briefing on the ongoing rescue and relief operations in the region, news agency PTI reported.
The Prime Minister emphasised that “every available national resource will be mobilised to accelerate recovery efforts and restore normalcy in the affected areas.” Sharif also distributed compensation cheques worth Rs 2 million to affected people.
Buner and Swabi emerged as the worst-hit districts while Swat, Bajaur, Mansehra, Shangla, Lower Dir, Battagram and Swabi have also been badly affected due to persistent rains and floods across the province since last week.
Flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in the mountainous northwest have brought destruction since Friday in the worst spell of this year’s monsoon in the country. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was the worst hit, where 427 people have died so far, followed by 164 in Punjab, 29 in Sindh, 22 in Balochistan, 56 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, and eight in the Islamabad region, PTI reported.
NDMA chief Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik said that more than 25,000 people have been rescued so far from flood-hit areas.
Meanwhile, internet services were fully restored nationwide after a disruption caused by heavy rainfall, ARY News reported, citing Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) statement.
Users across major cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and Peshawar experienced connectivity issues, with Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) services facing major disruptions, as per ARY News.
The internet disruption in Pakistan affected both online and call services, causing problems to individuals and businesses relying on digital platforms.
(With inputs from agencies)
About the Author
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
- Location :
Islamabad, Pakistan
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