Pakistan monsoon death toll rises to nearly 150 as floods, landslides continue

Pakistan's monsoon rain-related death toll climbed to nearly 150 after six more people were killed in the past 24 hours, the country's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said Wednesday.

The fatalities have been caused by heavy rains, flash floods and landslides since the monsoon season began on June 26.

The NDMA said 147 people have died and 437 have been injured in weather-related incidents nationwide.

The disaster has damaged nearly 1,266 houses and killed 569 livestock.

Northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has recorded the highest number of fatalities, with 60 deaths, followed by Punjab with 53. Sindh has reported 15 deaths, Balochistan eight, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 10, and Gilgit-Baltistan one.

Authorities warned that several parts of the country remain at risk of flash flooding and glacial lake outburst floods over the coming days due to heavy rain and accelerated glacier melting in Pakistan's northern mountainous regions.

Pakistan experiences intense monsoon rainfall each year between late June and September, with flooding frequently causing casualties and widespread destruction.

Last year, above-average monsoon rains and flooding killed more than 1,000 people and caused extensive damage to homes, roads, farmland and public infrastructure.

The country is still recovering from the devastating 2022 floods, when record monsoon rains and flooding killed more than 1,700 people, affected more than 33 million people and caused an estimated $30 billion in economic losses.