ISLAMABAD, Jun 29 (NNN-APP) – At least 38 people were killed and 63 others injured, in separate rain-related accidents across Pakistan, since the onset of monsoon season in the country, on Jun 26, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), said.
Torrential rains also led to the destruction of 78 houses and the loss of 30 livestock, the NDMA said in a statement, released last night.
The country’s north-western province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the worst-affected, where 19 people were killed and 41 injured, followed by the eastern Punjab province, where 12 fatalities and six injuries were reported, the statement added.
Most of the deaths occurred due to roof collapses and flash floods that swept away people, homes, and infrastructure, the NDMA said.
The National Emergency Operations Centre of the NDMA, has issued multiple impact-based weather alerts, in view of ongoing and forecast rain-wind/thunderstorms, as well as, the risk of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), urban flooding, and flash floods across various regions of the country today and tomorrow.
In the north Gilgit-Baltistan region of the country, the rapid glacier and snowmelt, combined with rainfall, have heightened the risk of GLOFs in high-altitude valleys, while river levels may rise, threatening transport and power infrastructure.
Similar risks of flash floods and flooding in low-lying areas have been forecast, for parts of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, Punjab and other regions.
The NDMA has urged provincial and district administrations to remain on high alert, activate contingency plans, and ensure the timely dissemination of warnings in local languages.
Citizens, particularly those in vulnerable areas, are advised to stay updated through official advisories, avoid unnecessary travel near glacial streams, riverbanks, and flooded roads, and keep emergency supplies ready.– NNN-APP
