ISLAMABAD: The death toll from monsoon rains in Pakistan under two weeks has climbed to 79, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said in its latest report, as the country braces for more heavy downpours and floods till July 10. 

Monsoon rains have battered several parts of Pakistan, especially its eastern Punjab and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces, since June 26. As per the NDMA’s latest situation report, KP has reported the highest number of deaths from rain-related incidents, 29, followed by Punjab with 24, Sindh with 15, and Balochistan with 11 deaths in thirteen days of rain. 

Seventy-two people were injured in Punjab, followed by 34 in Sindh, 27 in KP, four in Azad Kashmir and three in Balochistan since June 26, as per the report. The NDMA on Monday forecast heavy rains and floods in several parts of the country. It said a moisture inflow from the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea, combined with a strong westerly wave, is expected to result in moderate to heavy monsoon rainfall till July 10. 

“These weather conditions are likely to cause both riverine and flash flooding in various regions of Pakistan,” the authority said on Monday. 

As per the NDMA’s report, 189 houses in total have been damaged across the country while 100 livestock have perished due to rain-related incidents since June 26. KP reported the highest number of houses damaged since June 26, 94, while the largest number of livestock perished were reported from Sindh, 58. 

Pakistan, home to over 240 million people, is consistently ranked among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. In 2022, record-breaking monsoon rains and glacier melt caused catastrophic floods that affected 33 million people and killed more than 1,700. The South Asian country has been the victim of irregular weather patterns recently that have ranged from heatwaves to droughts and torrential rains.

Surging temperatures in the country’s mountainous north, especially in Gilgit-Baltistan, have accelerated glacier melt, compounding the risk of sudden floods and landslides in narrow valleys and near vulnerable glacial lakes.

The NDMA advises the public to stay indoors during thunderstorms, avoid unnecessary travel and keep children away from electricity poles and waterlogged areas.