Death toll Pakistan’s torrential rainfall climbs to 788

Islamabad: At least 788 people have lost their lives and more than 1,000 others have sustained injuries as relentless monsoon rains continue to batter Pakistan since June 26, local media reported on Monday.

According to figures released by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the death toll includes 200 children, 117 women and 471 men, Pakistan’s leading daily Dawn reported.

Punjab recorded 165 fatalities, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported the highest with 469 deaths, followed by Sindh with 51, Balochistan with 24, Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan with 45, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir with 23, and Islamabad with eight.

The NDMA data further revealed that the injured comprised 279 children, 493 men and 246 women. Punjab also reported the highest number of injuries at 584, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 285, Sindh 71, Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan 42, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 28, Balochistan five, and Islamabad three.

The authority added that a total of 25,644 people have been rescued in 512 operations across the country as part of the coordinated disaster response.

Fresh incidents over the weekend worsened the crisis, with at least 13 people killed and 52 others injured in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa after torrential rains battered several districts.

In Dera Ismail Khan alone, seven people lost their lives as powerful winds and heavy rainfall swept through the city. The downpour uprooted trees, snapped electricity lines, and plunged many areas into darkness, while roof collapses in multiple localities claimed lives and left dozens more injured, rescue officials told Geo News.

Urban centres across the country also reeled under the impact of the deluge. In Lahore, streets in Gulberg, Lakshmi Chowk, Jail Road, and surrounding neighbourhoods were submerged, as floodwaters entered homes and shops, according to local media reports.

Islamabad and Rawalpindi witnessed streams overflowing in Bhara Kahu, leaving vehicles stranded, while in Gujranwala, Gujrat, Jhelum, and Chiniot, heavy downpours knocked out power supplies as poles collapsed and feeders tripped, a leading Pakistani daily, The Express Tribune, reported.

The monsoon season, which shows no sign of easing, has continued to wreak havoc across Pakistan, leaving widespread destruction in its wake.

–IANS