Monsoon death toll in Pakistan rises to 126, over 400 injured
Islamabad, Aug 2
The death toll in Pakistan during this year's monsoon season from June 26 to August 1 rose to 196, while the number of injured people climbed to 404, local media reported on Sunday, citing the National Disaster Management Authority.
The primary cause for fatalities in Pakistan during monsoon season was electrocution, followed by flash floods, drowning, lightning and other rain-related incidents like house collapse and falling of trees.
In the report on Saturday, the NDMA said that four people were killed in rain-related incidents, including drowning and lightning, during the past 24 hours. Furthermore, 16 people were injured during the past 24 hours, with the maximum number of casualties reported in Punjab, Pakistan's The Express Tribune reported.
According to the report, 47 people died while 295 people were injured in Punjab from June 26 to August 1. A total of 55 people died, and 82 others were injured in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa between June 26 and August 1. As many as five people died, and seven others were injured in Sindh, while Balochistan saw eight deaths and 15 injuries.
In the statement, the NDMA mentioned that nine people were rescued in Punjab, five people in Sindh and two people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the rescue operations conducted during the past 24 hours, The Express Tribune reported.
Earlier in July, road access to several parts of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) remained cut off as flash floods and glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs) continue to damage highways and hamper restoration efforts.
Thousands of residents and tourists remained stranded as road closures severed access to several valleys. Flood-hit communities also continued to face shortages of drinking water, electricity and communication services," the daily Dawn reported.
According to residents of Hisper Valley in Nagar district, patients and students were facing severe hardships. People were facing a shortage of food, medicine and other essential supplies, Dawn reported.
People from Diamer, Astore, Ghizer and other affected districts of PoGB also complained of facing electricity and water supply disruption along with shortage of essential commodities.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's heartbreaking to see the devastation. Electrocution being the top cause is avoidable with better infrastructure. I hope authorities on both sides of the border learn from these tragedies to prevent future loss.
Nature doesn't discriminate between borders. This is a humanitarian crisis and my heart goes out to the families affected. Let's hope for more regional cooperation on climate resilience and disaster management.
The pain of losing a loved one to floods is universal. As a neighbour, we feel for them. But it's also a reminder that our own disaster response systems need constant improvement. We should invest more in early warning systems and resilient infrastructure.
So tragic. 196 lives lost is just overwhelming. Prayers for all the affected families. It really makes you realize that we all need to work together on climate change, because these disasters aren't going to stop.
While I have my political differences, this is purely a human tragedy. People in Gilgit-Baltistan stranded without food and medicine is something we should all care about. I hope rescue operations reach them soon. 🙏
As someone who has lived through a
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