The National Disaster Management Authority on Monday revealed that the nationwide death toll in various rain-related incidents this monsoon has climbed to 221, with 592 others injured.
In its latest situation report, the NDMA has said Punjab recorded 135 deaths and 470 injuries, followed by 49 deaths and 69 injuries in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and 22 deaths and 40 injuries in Sindh. Balochistan has recorded 16 deaths and four injuries. Islamabad has reported one death, while three people have been injured in Gilgit-Baltistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir has recorded one death and six injuries.
The chief cause for the deaths remains house collapses followed by flash floods and drowning.
The latest figures come as the country prepares for a fresh spell of monsoon rains, forecast to begin today (Monday) and persist through the week. In its weekly forecast, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has said Islamabad, the Malakand and Hazara divisions of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the southern parts of Punjab and Sindh, eastern Balochistan and parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir are likely to witness rain and thunderstorms with strong winds.
In KP, scattered rain with thunderstorms and gusty winds are forecast in Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Malakand, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Kurram, and Waziristan. Similarly, rain and thunderstorms are forecast for urban centers of south Punjab, with rains forecast for Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Narowal and Lahore from Monday night.
In Sindh, Mirpurkhas, Mithi, Tharparkar, Badin, Sujawal, Umerkot, Chhachhro, Padidan, Khairpur, Karachi, Thatta, Ghotki, Chhor, Sukkur, Kashmore, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Larkana, Naushahro Feroze, Sanghar, Dadu, Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Matiari, and Shaheed Benazirabad are all expected to receive rain and thunderstorms.
Balochistan’s forecast includes rain and thunderstorms for Barkhan, Sibi, Kohlu, Musakhel, Killa Saifullah, Loralai, Dera Bugti, Nasirabad, Zhob, Kalat, Khuzdar, Awaran, and Lasbela. In Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, partly cloudy weather with rain and thunderstorms is expected, and heavy rainfall is likely at isolated places in Kashmir.