Pakistan | Floods kill 242 people as rains continue

Pakistan | Seasonal floods continue to claim lives, with the death toll rising to 242 since last June.

Arab Weather - Pakistan continues to face one of its worst flooding episodes in recent years. The National Disaster Management Authority announced on Wednesday that the death toll from the massive floods that have hit the country since the start of the monsoon season in late June has risen to 242, while the number of injured has risen to 598. This toll is expected to rise as the rains continue to fall across large areas.

New deaths in the past 24 hours

The authority indicated, in a report broadcast by the Pakistani channel "Sama TV", that 21 people were killed in the past 24 hours alone, while six new injuries were recorded due to the heavy rains that continued to fall in various parts of the country, causing landslides, torrential floods, and a rise in water levels in rivers and natural waterways, which contributed to the complexity of the humanitarian situation and the increase in the amount of material losses.

The infrastructure is severely damaged.

The recent floods have caused widespread destruction to infrastructure, sweeping away homes, roads, and bridges and submerging vast areas of farmland, threatening the food security of millions of people. They have also displaced thousands of families from their homes, forcing them to live in temporary shelters amid severe shortages of food, clean water, and healthcare.

Thunderstorms to continue over the next two weeks

According to weather forecasts issued by relevant authorities, thunderstorms are expected to continue over the next two weeks, covering large areas of the country. This threatens further flooding and worsening damage if the situation is not addressed effectively. Numerical models indicate that some areas may experience heavy to extremely heavy rainfall, requiring further warnings and preventive measures.

Monsoon rains... an important resource that turns into a recurring threat

Monsoon rains are an essential part of the climate in South Asia, and agriculture relies heavily on them for irrigation and to replenish water resources, especially in drought-affected areas.

However, in recent years, these rains have become increasingly frequent disasters due to uncontrolled urban expansion, weak drainage networks, and a lack of adequate preparedness for such events. Extreme weather events associated with climate change have exacerbated the disaster, with rainfall becoming heavier and more concentrated over short periods, leading to sudden and unpredictable floods.