File photo. Arif Ali—AFP
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Tuesday reported that 86 people had died in various rain-related incidents across Pakistan since the start of the monsoon season on June 25.
According to the daily situation report, the disaster relief agency said it had recorded 6 deaths over the past 24 hours. In Lahore, it said, electric shocks had killed a man and child, while another child had drowned in Bahawalnagar. Meanwhile, in Tharparkar, a man, a woman and a child died, with two struck by lightning and one drowning.
Overall, read the report, 86 people had died across Pakistan, including 6 from Balochistan; 12 from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa; 52 from Punjab; 5 from Sindh; and 3 from Azad Jammu and Kashmir. At the same time, 151 people have been injured due to various rain-related incidents, including 99 in Punjab; 37 in KP; 11 in Balochistan; and 2 each in Sindh and AJK.
Among the deceased are 37 children, 33 men and 16 women, while the injured comprise 56 men, 43 women, and 52 children.
The NDMA said 97 houses had been damaged during the ongoing monsoon season, the majority (47) in KP. Similarly, 46 livestock have perished since June 25.
In its flood advisory, the NDMA said there was a medium- to high-level flood forecast at Jassar in River Ravi, while there was a medium flood risk at Khanki in River Chenab. It said the floods were expected to be remain confined to rivers and nullahs, adding that low-lying areas adjacent to riverbanks were at risk of being inundated.
Over the next 24-48 hours, it said, Lahore, Sialkot, Narowal, Rawalpindi, Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan and Sargodha were likely to experience heavy rains, with a potential for urban flooding. The disaster response body further warned of the likelihood of landslides in the hilly areas of Balochistan, KP, Punjab, GB and AJK. Similarly, Karachi, Tharparkar, Sukkur, Larkana, Hyderabad, Badin, and Shaheed Benazirabad have been forecast to receive moderate to heavy rain, while moderate to heavy rain is expected in northeast Balochistan.
As part of safety precautions, the NDMA directed city and district administrations to ensure the provision of emergency personnel and machinery, including dewatering pumps in flood-prone areas. It also advised local administrations to ensure parallel traffic plans during drainage operations to ensure regular functioning of traffic.