ISLAMABAD, AUG 4: In the last 24 hours, more than 12 people have died due to monsoon rains and floods in Pakistan. In Sindh, five people died in various accidents related to the rains, and many others were injured. Numerous villages were submerged after the Murad Wah canal broke in Kandhkot.
The Kirti Dam also broke in Khairpur, severing the land connection to 200 villages. Additionally, a 100-foot-wide crack has appeared in the Begari Canal. Roads in Tandwala Yar, Matiari, Hala, Bhat Shah, and Saeedabad were inundated with water.
Two people, including a woman, died in Jamshoro due to a roof collapse. A girl died and five people were injured in three separate incidents of roof collapse in Nowshehro Feroze. In the village of Shah Dost in Jacobabad, two people were buried under the debris when a roof collapsed.
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In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four people, including two children, drowned in rain drains in Karak district. Three bodies have been recovered so far. In another incident, a grandfather and granddaughter drowned while crossing the Babil Khel storm drain, and the body of 26-year-old Shahzad, who drowned in the storm drain in Luaghalgada, was recovered.
In Dera Ismail Khan, the flow of traffic on the Waziristan Road was suspended due to flooding in the rain drain at Tankgarh Baloch. Nearby populations of Garha Baloch were instructed to move to safe places.
Heavy rains in the northeastern districts of Balochistan have led to a high-level flood situation. The embankments of Raza Machhi Bachauband have weakened. According to the Inhar department, 68,000 cusecs of rainwater are passing through Nadi River. The water level in the Lahri River has reached 62,000 cusecs, and the flood level in the Tali River is 13,400 cusecs. PDMA has provided relief materials to the administration for the flood victims. In Jhal Magsi, the water level in Mola River has also started to rise.
Read more: Karachi weather update: Thunderstorm, rain likely today
On Saturday, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued a report on the loss of life and property caused by recent rains across the country. According to the report, 96 people lost their lives between July 1 and August 1. Punjab reported the highest number of deaths at 39.
According to NDMA, 22 deaths were reported in Sindh, 34 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, three in Balochistan, three in Kashmir, and one in Gilgit-Baltistan. The report states that 214 people were injured during the rains.
The rains damaged 525 houses, with the highest loss of life and property caused by the collapse of raw roofs and walls. According to the NDMA report, 46% of the people died due to roof collapses, while 31% died due to lightning strikes. Five people lost their lives in the last 24 hours.
Urban flooding
The Meteorological Department has forecast the current spell of monsoon rains to continue until August 6. Heavy rain and hailstorms with strong winds and thunder are expected in Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Islamabad, Sargodha, and other areas. There is a risk of flooding in different areas, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, mountains, and rivers due to heavy rain.
Urban flooding is expected in Sialkot, Gujranwala, and Narowal, with landslides possible in the hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, and Guliyat. Heavy rains, winds, and thunderstorms may damage weak infrastructure.
In eastern Balochistan, heavy rain with thunder is expected in Mithi, Umarkot, Thatta, and Badin in Sindh. The Meteorological Department has instructed all relevant agencies to remain on alert.
Read more: Emergency declared in Upper Chitral amid monsoon rains, flooding
Heavy rains with strong wind and thunder are also expected in Bahawalpur, Bahawal Nagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Swabi, and other areas from August 1 to August 6.
Increased rainfall expected in August
The Meteorological department predicts that there will be more rain in August than in July. Flash flooding may occur in the cities of Balochistan and Sindh.
Chief Meteorologist Sardar Sarfraz stated that heavy rains are expected in Karachi and Sindh from today, with Aparsandh likely to experience heavy rains for 3 to 4 days. Heavy rain is also expected in the northeastern districts of Balochistan and the Kherthar mountain range. More heavy rains are also likely in DG Khan, with this spell of rains expected to last until August 6-7.
Torrential rains are predicted in different parts of the country today, potentially submerging low-lying areas in Lahore. Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Kasur, and Sialkot are also likely to receive rain. Clouds will also rain in Sargodha, Faisalabad, Nowshera, and Peshawar.
There is a risk of flooding in the rivers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan due to torrential rains, and a risk of landslides in Murree, Guliyat, Kashmir, and Gilgit.
NDMA preventive measures for flooding
The NDMA has issued instructions to all relevant departments to take necessary precautions to mitigate the possible effects of floods and severe weather. The NDMA has advised the affected population to avoid flood-prone areas and stay away from flooding.
The NDMA has also issued instructions to ensure that roofs and windows are properly sealed to prevent water leakage, and to clean gutters and drainage systems to prevent water accumulation. They also advised protecting items outside that can be damaged by strong winds and heavy rain.
The NDMA has launched an application called ‘Pak NDMA Disaster Alert,’ available on Google Play Store and iOS App Store, to provide timely alerts and advisories to the public.
