What is the Death Toll from the Monsoon Fury in Pakistan?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 883 fatalities reported since late June.
- Nearly 1,200 injuries due to the floods.
- Severe impacts particularly in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
- Authorities warn of ongoing rain and potential flooding.
- Over 9,200 homes destroyed and significant infrastructure damage.
Islamabad, Sep 4 (NationPress) Since late June, over 883 individuals have tragically lost their lives and nearly 1,200 others have sustained injuries due to severe monsoon rains wreaking havoc across Pakistan, as reported by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Recent reports indicate that two more children succumbed to rain-related incidents, one in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and another in Islamabad, according to local media on Thursday.
On Wednesday, the NDMA, through its National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC), issued a new alert signaling potential rainfall in various regions of Pakistan over the next 12 to 24 hours.
The provinces of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Punjab have been the hardest hit, suffering the most from the heavy downpours.
KP has reported 488 deaths and 360 injuries, while Punjab has recorded 223 fatalities and 648 injuries. Furthermore, Sindh has confirmed 58 deaths, Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB) 41, PoK 38, Balochistan 26, and Islamabad 9, according to reports from The Express Tribune.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has warned that the River Sutlej at the Ganda Singh Wala region in Punjab will remain at exceptionally high flood levels, while a new wave of flooding in the River Chenab could escalate to very high or exceptional levels from Marala downstream in Punjab.
Reports indicate that at the confluence of the rivers Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej at River Panjnad, floodwaters are expected to rise significantly between September 4 and 5, posing serious risks to thousands of acres of farmland and numerous villages.
The River Indus at Guddu town in Sindh province is predicted to reach high to very high flood levels by September 6 or 7. The PMD has cautioned that ongoing heavy rainfall in the upper catchments may lead to urban flooding in Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad.
Authorities have issued rain alerts for Punjab, KP, PoGB, and PoK, with scattered rainfall anticipated in various areas of KP, including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Buner, and Abbottabad.
There is also a warning of possible flash flooding in low-lying regions, alongside threats of overflowing streams and landslides in hilly areas.
According to the PDMA, floodwaters in Punjab from the Chenab have inundated 261 villages in Jhang and at least two dozen in Muzaffargarh.
The devastating floodwaters have also obliterated over 9,200 homes—including 4,700 in KP and 2,100 in PoK—and swept away more than 6,000 livestock.
This disaster has also led to damages exceeding 240 bridges and more than 670 kilometers of roads throughout Pakistan.