Heavy rain and floods wreak havoc in Pakistan, death toll reaches 1006

Islamabad: Pakistan's Punjab province is reeling from flooding caused by rain. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has once again issued a rain warning. According to a PDMA spokesperson, widespread rainfall is expected across the province from Thursday night until October 7th due to westerly winds entering northern parts of Punjab. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has released figures on the death toll and flooding caused by heavy rains.

According to the latest figures, at least 1,006 people, including 275 children, 568 men, and 163 women, have died in Pakistan since the end of June. Furthermore, a total of 1,063 people, including 321 children, 450 men, and 292 women, were injured due to the flooding.

Punjab has the highest number of deaths

The NDMA recorded 304 deaths in Punjab province, including 110 children, 143 men and 51 women. Flash floods have caused widespread devastation. The death toll in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) rose to 504, including 90 children, 338 men and 76 women. Sindh reported 80 deaths, including 35 children, 35 men and 10 women, while Balochistan reported 30 deaths, including 20 children, six men and four women.

41 people died in Gilgit Baltistan

Meanwhile, severe floods in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan have claimed 41 lives, including six children, 26 men and nine women; and nine children, 17 men and 12 women are among the 38 deaths recorded in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Meanwhile, the Pakistani daily The Express Tribune reported that nine deaths were recorded in the capital, Islamabad, including five children, three men, and one woman. Punjab was the hardest hit, with 661 people affected, including 200 children, 258 men, and 203 women.

Heavy damage to crops due to floods

More than 200 villages in several Punjab districts, including Multan, Lodhran and Bahawalpur, are reportedly submerged after the Sutlej River breached its embankment. Reports suggest that floodwaters stagnating in these villages for the past 20 days have destroyed homes, ruined crops and rendered thousands of residents homeless. "Our homes are destroyed; our crops are ruined. We have been patient for 20 days, but now we need this water to drain out so we can think about restarting our lives," Pakistani daily Dawn quoted one of the residents, Afzal Baloch, as saying.

Water crisis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan too

Furthermore, devastating floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa injured 218 people, including 70 children, 99 men, and 49 women. Sindh reported 87 injuries, including 39 children, 29 men, and 19 women, highlighting the widespread impact of flooding across all age and gender groups. Five people were injured in Balochistan, including two children, two men, and one woman.