At least 54 individuals died and 227 others were injured in 24 hours as persistent monsoon rains pounded Pakistan, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported on Thursday. The organization added that the toll was tallied up to 8:00 am (0300 GMT) and most deaths were reported in Punjab province.
An NDMA spokesperson said, “In the past 24 hours, 54 individuals were killed and 227 were injured throughout Pakistan, with most of the deaths reported from Punjab.”
At least 180 individuals, of whom 70 were children, died and about 500 were injured since the start of monsoon on June 26, the agency said.
Torrential rains have persisted to pour over various parts of Punjab since Wednesday morning, causing extensive urban flooding.
Evacuation notices were ordered by authorities in Rawalpindi, a city that borders the capital Islamabad, for residents who live close to the river due to an unprecedented escalation in water levels.
In response to the deteriorating conditions, the administration in Rawalpindi announced a public holiday on Thursday and urged people to stay indoors. The national weather agency alerted that heavy showers would continue till Friday.
“Denizens of risk-prone areas should have emergency kits with food, water, and vital medicines for three to five days in preparation for an emergency,” the government said.
The tragedy has brought back bitter memories of 2022 when disastrous monsoon floods had inundated one-third of Pakistan and killed about 1,700 individuals.
