50 Dead as Monsoon Rains Lash Pakistan; Flood Alerts Issued

News Desk

Islamabad: Over the past three days, at least 50 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents across Pakistan, as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warns of continued heavy rainfall and the risk of flooding in several regions through July 5.

The casualties — reported from various parts of the country — were primarily due to roof collapses, electrocution, and flash floods, as pre-monsoon downpours batter both urban and rural areas.

In its latest advisory, the PMD stated that a strong monsoon system is expected to impact most of the country starting Sunday, bringing heavy rainfall to Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Balochistan, Azad Kashmir, Islamabad, and the Potohar region.

The department cautioned against urban flooding in major cities such as Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Karachi, Peshawar, and Islamabad. Low-lying districts including Attock, Chakwal, and Jhelum are also at risk of inundation from excessive rainfall.

Northern KP areas like Hazara, Malakand, Charsadda, and Nowshera have been placed on high alert for potential river flooding and landslides.

In light of the worsening weather, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered all relevant authorities to step up precautionary efforts and ensure emergency preparedness.

Local administrations have initiated evacuations in vulnerable areas and are working with relief organizations to carry out rescue operations.

With a population exceeding 240 million, Pakistan is among the most climate-vulnerable nations globally. The country continues to grapple with increasingly extreme weather events — including heatwaves, droughts, and erratic monsoons — which experts attribute to global warming. The catastrophic 2022 floods, driven by intense monsoon rains and glacial melt, claimed over 1,700 lives and caused damages exceeding $33 billion.