Raging monsoon devastates Pakistan: Death toll soars to 883

Torrential monsoon rains that have battered Pakistan since late June have left at least 885 people dead and nearly 1,200 injured, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). On Wednesday alone, two children lost their lives—one in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and another in Islamabad.

The NDMA’s National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) has issued fresh alerts, warning of heavy rainfall across multiple regions over the next 12–24 hours.

Hardest-hit provinces include:

• Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP): 488 deaths, 360 injuries

• Punjab: 223 deaths, 648 injuries

• Sindh: 58 deaths

• Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB): 41 deaths

• PoK: 38 deaths

• Balochistan: 26 deaths

• Islamabad: 9 deaths

Rivers at risk:

• Sutlej (Ganda Singh Wala, Punjab): exceptionally high flood levels

• Chenab (Marala downstream, Punjab): very high to exceptional levels expected

• Panjnad (confluence of Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej): surge expected 4–5 September, threatening farmland and villages

• Indus (Guddu, Sindh): high to very high levels forecasted by 6–7 September

Urban flood alerts:
Major cities including Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad face potential urban flooding. Low-lying and hilly areas remain vulnerable to flash floods, overflowing streams, and landslides.

Impact on infrastructure and livelihoods:

• Villages submerged: 261 in Jhang, 24+ in Muzaffargarh

• Houses destroyed: over 9,200 (4,700 in KP, 2,100 in PoK)

• Livestock lost: 6,000+

• Bridges damaged: approximately 240

• Roads affected: over 670 km

Authorities continue rescue and relief operations, as residents brace for further rainfall and rising floodwaters. The NDMA and provincial administrations are urging people to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions to minimize casualties and damage.

With IANS inputs