How Many Lives Has Monsoon Fury Claimed in Pakistan?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- 18 fatalities reported due to monsoon rains.
- Continued rainfall expected until July 25.
- Severe damage to infrastructure and homes across various provinces.
- Injuries reported from lightning strikes and floods.
- Urban flooding concerns in major cities.
Islamabad, July 24 (NationPress) The relentless monsoon has tragically claimed 18 more lives across Pakistan as it continues to unleash devastating floods and storms in various regions. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a warning of persistent rainfall throughout most areas until July 25, as reported by Pakistani daily, The Express Tribune.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) province alone, at least 13 lives were lost, while an estimated 10-15 individuals were swept away in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan.
As per the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), among the deceased in K-P, there are nine children, three women, and one man. Furthermore, three individuals, including two children and one woman, suffered injuries due to rain-related incidents.
PDMA's initial damage assessment indicates that 19 houses were affected, with 17 being partially damaged and two completely destroyed in the province.
The affected regions include various districts such as Swat, Buner, Bajaur, Torghar, Upper Kohistan, Mardan, Kurram, Haripur, Mansehra, Upper Chitral, Malakand, and Shangla, according to local media reports.
Swat district has faced the brunt of the disaster in the last 48 hours, with flash floods and a house collapse leading to the deaths of six children and one woman, along with injuries to another woman and child.
In Buner, heavy rainfall accompanied by thunder and lightning resulted in three fatalities. A woman and her child perished after being struck by lightning, while an eight-year-old boy was swept away in the torrential downpour. His body was later recovered by PDMA.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued a nationwide alert on Wednesday regarding widespread rain, wind, and thundershowers, raising concerns over potential flash floods, urban flooding, and landslides.
Heavy rains have heightened fears of urban flooding in low-lying areas in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Okara, Nowshera, and Peshawar.
Moreover, early morning downpours on Wednesday submerged low-lying parts of Lahore and other cities in Punjab, disrupting daily life and electricity supply in several neighborhoods.
Additionally, rainfall caused outages in numerous power feeders, with water accumulation on major roads hampering mobility and infrastructure.
Unrelenting rain also affected Lahore, flooding several underpasses and streets, thereby crippling the drainage systems.