President, PM order swift rescue efforts as monsoon deaths rise to 242 nationwide

• KP records 10 deaths, Islamabad sees five deaths.
• Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK witness six deaths.
• NHA, FWO ordered to restore affected highways, roads.

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday issued directives to authorities concerned for expediting the rescue and rehabilitation efforts as torrential rains claimed 21 more lives in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 242 since the beginning of the monsoon season.

The fatalities occurred due to flash floods, collapsing homes, drowning, electrocution, lightning strikes, and landslides, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) statistics.

In the last 24 hours, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 10 deaths and two injuries, Islamabad saw five deaths and one injury, Sindh reported two deaths, Gilgit-Baltistan witnessed three deaths and one injury, and Azad Kashmir reported one death and two injuries.

Among the 21 people who died over the past day were six men, three women, and twelve children. Of the six injured, two were men, one was a woman, and three were children.

The NDMA stated that since the beginning of the monsoon, the total number of casualties has risen to 242, while 598 people have been injured. The deceased include 83 men, 43 women, and 116 children. Among the injured are 232 men, 167 women, and 199 children.

Punjab has witnessed the highest number of casualties so far, with 135 dead and 470 injured.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 56 deaths and 71 injuries, followed by Sindh with 24 deaths and 40 injuries.

Balochistan recorded 16 deaths and four injuries, Gilgit-Baltistan three deaths and four injuries, Azad Kashmir two deaths and eight injuries, while Islamabad has so far seen six deaths and one injury.

The NDMA said the majority of deaths occurred due to houses collapsing during the rains, followed by incidents of drowning, lightning, flash floods, electrocution, and landslides.

In the past 24 hours alone, 50 houses were destroyed, and eight livestock animals perished. The total number of houses damaged in the ongoing monsoon has now reached 854, while 208 livestock animals have been killed.

'Accelerate relief efforts'

In separate statements, the president and the premier expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives due to rains and floods in various parts of the country.

They directed relevant departments to accelerate relief activities in the affected areas.

PM Shehbaz directed the NDMA to remain in constant contact with provinces and relevant departments and to provide them with all necessary support.

Shehbaz Sharif emphasised that immediate relief must be delivered to the affected people and all preparations should be in place to deal with any potential situation in the coming days.

The premier also directed the National Highway Authority (NHA) and the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) to expedite the restoration of highways and connecting roads affected by floods.

PMD predicts heavy rains

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted rain-wind and thundershower in Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, Punjab, Gilgit-Baltistan and northeast Balochistan from tonight to July 23.

"Heavy falls (at times very heavy) are also likely in upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pothohar region, northeast Punjab and Kashmir during the period. Hot and humid weather is expected in southern parts of the country," the daily weather forecast read.

The PMD has cautioned that the intense rainfall may lead to flash flooding in local nullahs and streams.

This risk is particularly high in northern and hilly regions such as Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Buner, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, as well as in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan, northeastern Punjab, and Kashmir.

Heavy downpours could also trigger urban flooding in low-lying areas of major cities, including Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sialkot, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Okara, Nowshera, and Peshawar.

Additionally, the risk of landslides and mudslides looms large over vulnerable hilly regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan.