ISLAMABAD: At least 1,061 people have lost their lives in monsoon rains and floods in Pakistan since the beginning of the season in June, said the latest situation report circulated by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Sunday, after 28 more people were killed across the country due to the harsh weather conditions.

The Pakistani authorities rescued dozens of tourists stranded in Swat and Kohistan divisions, though many more were still reported to be waiting for help in various areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province where floods have destroyed hotels, roads and other infrastructure.

While Pakistan’s southern provinces of Sindh and Balochistan have experienced maximum devastation during the monsoon season, KP has also witnessed severe destruction since Friday.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is scheduled to visit the northwestern KP province on Monday to evaluate the situation in flood-affected places like Nowshera and Charsadda.

“The prime minister will also interact with flood victims after reviewing relief work in the area,” said a statement released by his office. “He will also go to the site of Mohmand Dam where he will receive comprehensive briefing on the project.”

According to the NDMA, more than two million acres of cultivated crops have been wiped out, 3,457.5 kilometers of roads destroyed, and 157 bridges washed away in different parts of Pakistan due to the monsoon rains and floods.

The army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who visited his troops performing relief activities in flood-affected areas of Khairpur in Sindh on Saturday, urged affluent citizens and expatriate Pakistanis to step forward and help the flood victims.

“Given the magnitude of the floods, the rehabilitation work may take years,” he said in a recorded message.

The army chief maintained that rescue and relief operation was almost over in the flood-hit areas, adding that the rehabilitation work would take greater effort.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department expects dry weather in much of the country for the next 24 hours, though there may be some rain in northern parts of Balochistan along with DG Khan, DI Khan and Rawalpindi divisions.