Flash floods, heavy rains kill at least 45 across country over past few days

• Met Office forecasts rain in Punjab, Islamabad upper KP.
• PMD says heavy rains may generate flash flood in Balochistan.
• Pakistan among vulnerable countries to effects of climate change.

ISLAMABAD: Heavy rain and flash flooding across Pakistan have killed 45 people in just a few days since the start of the monsoon season, disaster management officials said on Sunday.

The highest toll was recorded in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where 10 children were among 21 killed.

The disaster management authority said 14 of those victims died in the Swat Valley, where media reported a flash flood swept away families on a riverbank.

In Punjab, 13 fatalities have been recorded since Wednesday.

Eight of them were children who died when walls or roofs collapsed during heavy rain, while the adults were killed in flash floods.

11 other deaths related to the monsoon downpours were recorded in Sindh and Balochistan provinces.

The national meteorological service warned that the risk of heavy rain and possible flash floods will remain high until at least Saturday.

Last month, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms in the country, which experienced several extreme weather events in the spring, including strong hailstorms.

Pakistan is one of the world's most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change, and its 240 million residents are facing extreme weather events with increasing frequency.

In its weather forecast, the PMD said that heavy to very heavy rains may generate flash flood in local nullahs/streams of Murree, Galiat, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Swat, Shangla, Malakand, Dir, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Kohistan, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi and Kashmir.

“Heavy rains may generate flash flood in local nullahs/streams of Hill torrents of Musakhel, Barkhan, Khuzdar, Lasbella and Kalat,” read the statement.

It further said that windstorm and lightning may affect daily routines and may damage weak structures, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels during the forecast period.

Landslides may cause roads closure in the vulnerable hilly areas of KP, Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir during the wet spell, it added.

The Met Office said that rain, thundershower is expected at isolated places in Kashmir, North-East Punjab, Potohar region, Islamabad and upper KP on Monday.

“Isolated heavy falls is likely during morning hours. Hot and humid weather is likely other parts of the country [tomorrow],” it added.