ISLAMABAD: Authorities have declared 37 villages in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region “calamity-affected” after cloud burst-induced floods in the region, with the nationwide monsoon death toll nearing 300.

Torrential rains have continued to wreak havoc across Pakistan since June 26, claiming 295 lives, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The deceased include 138 children, while the NDMA said 700 people have also been injured.

In GB, Diamer, Skardu, Gilgit and Ghizer were among the districts worst hit by rains and floods this week, with human, livestock, property, infrastructure and crop losses. The situation has prompted authorities to launch immediate relief activities in these areas.

“Khalti upwards road is submerged due to flood,” the National Disaster Management Authority said. “Flash flood/cloudburst incident occurred in Ishkoman Ghizer, 100+ families were preemptively relocated to neighboring villages as a precautionary measure.”

It said an initial assessment of losses was underway.

More rains with isolated heavy falls are expected in Gujranwala, Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan, DG Khan and Bahawalpur divisions, according to the NDMA. Isolated thunderstorms could also hit Islamabad and northeast Balochistan as well as Rawalpindi, Sargodha and Faisalabad divisions.

Pakistan, which ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, has witnessed increasingly erratic weather events in recent years.

In May, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms, while a third of the country was submerged by devastating floods in 2022 that killed more than 1,700 people, affected over 30 million and caused an estimated $35 billion in damages.