No fewer than 60 residents have been killed and 290 others injured following torrential monsoon rains that flooded Pakistan’s Punjab Province, destroying several homes and leaving dozens homeless.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority, most of the victims were crushed by collapsing buildings, while others either drowned or were electrocuted.
These latest fatalities bring the nationwide death toll to nearly 180 since the monsoon season began in late June, with more than half of the deceased being children.
Punjab’s Chief Minister, Maryam Nawaz, announced in a statement that a state of emergency had been declared in several affected areas due to the devastating floods.
“Government institutions are working with utmost effort,” she stated on her social media handle, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
Authorities in the city of Rawalpindi, adjacent to the capital Islamabad, declared Thursday a public holiday to keep people indoors. Residents living near the swollen river running through the city were urged to evacuate.
According to disaster management reports, Chakwal was the worst-affected region, recording 423 mm (16.7 inches) of rainfall in just 24 hours.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) stated that rescue operations were underway in Chakwal to evacuate people trapped by flash floods, with support from the military and local authorities.
“More than 125 houses were damaged in the Chakwal region,” the PDMA reported.
Punjab authorities have warned of more rainfall and flash flooding expected through the weekend, with thousands of rescuers placed on standby across the province.
Pakistan, home to nearly 250 million people, remains one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. It is affected by two major weather systems: one that causes extreme heat and drought, and another that brings intense monsoon rains.
In 2022, monsoon floods submerged a third of the country, killing over 1,700 people and causing more than $30 billion in economic damage.
In 2023, the United Nations Secretary-General urged the international community to support Pakistan’s recovery efforts, stating that the country was “doubly victimised”, by both climate change and a “morally bankrupt” global financial system.
