
Pakistan warns of flash floods in north as monsoon death toll nears 300
Torrential rains have continued to wreak havoc across Pakistan since June 26, claiming 291 lives, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Among the victims are 138 children. The NDMA said 698 people have also been injured, including 236 children.
'During tonight, heavy rains may generate flash floods in local streams of Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Tank, Dera Ghazi Khan, Murree, Galliyat and Kashmir,' the PMD said in its daily weather report on Thursday.
'Heavy falls, windstorm and lightning may damage weak structures like roof/wall of houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels etc during the forecast period.'
The Met Office added widespread rain with thunderstorms and gusty winds is also expected across eastern Pakistan today, affecting areas including Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan and Bahawalpur.
Isolated showers are expected in northern and central regions on Friday, with heavier downpours likely in southern and western areas like Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh and Bahawalnagar.
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.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Arab News
21 hours ago
- Arab News
Pakistan warns of flash floods in north as monsoon death toll nears 300
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a warning for heavy rains and potential flash floods from Thursday night in the northern regions, as the total monsoon death toll nears 300, with a majority of the victims being children. Torrential rains have continued to wreak havoc across Pakistan since June 26, claiming 291 lives, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). Among the victims are 138 children. The NDMA said 698 people have also been injured, including 236 children. 'During tonight, heavy rains may generate flash floods in local streams of Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Tank, Dera Ghazi Khan, Murree, Galliyat and Kashmir,' the PMD said in its daily weather report on Thursday. 'Heavy falls, windstorm and lightning may damage weak structures like roof/wall of houses, electric poles, billboards, vehicles and solar panels etc during the forecast period.' The Met Office added widespread rain with thunderstorms and gusty winds is also expected across eastern Pakistan today, affecting areas including Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad, Multan and Bahawalpur. Isolated showers are expected in northern and central regions on Friday, with heavier downpours likely in southern and western areas like Dera Ghazi Khan, Muzaffargarh and Bahawalnagar. 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.


Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Pakistan warns of fresh monsoon spell from Aug. 5 as rain death toll surges to 288
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Meteorological Department (PMD) warned on Wednesday that a fresh monsoon spell from August 5 onwards is likely to trigger heavy rains and flash floods in several parts of the country, as the death toll from rain-related incidents since June 26 surged to 288. Torrential rains have continued to wreak havoc across Pakistan since late June, killing 288 people in total as per data shared by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The rains have killed 136 children in total and injured 691 people. The Met Department also warned of flash floods in the northern regions' local streams. These areas include Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Tank, Dera Ghazi Khan, Murree, Galliyat and Azad Kashmir. 'A fresh monsoon activity with isolated heavy falls is expected to start from Aug 5,' the PMD said in its daily weather report. It warned that river flows are likely to increase up to the medium level under the influence of the upcoming monsoon spell. Authorities in Punjab issued a flood alert on Wednesday, warning of rising water levels in the Chenab, Jhelum and Sutlej rivers, with possible urban flooding in Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Lahore over the next 48 hours. The provincial disaster management authority (PDMA) urged residents in low-lying or riverbank settlements to follow precautionary guidelines and cooperate with local officials during evacuations. 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. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has repeatedly directed authorities to intensify rescue operations in flood-affected areas of the country.

Al Arabiya
3 days ago
- Al Arabiya
Heavy rains leave 30 dead in Chinese capital
Heavy rains in the Chinese capital Beijing have killed 30 people and prompted authorities to evacuate 80,000, state media said Tuesday. Intense rainstorms have pummeled swathes of northern China this week, including the capital and the provinces of Hebei, Jilin and Shandong. As of midnight Monday, 'the latest round of heavy rainstorms has left 30 people dead in Beijing,' state news agency Xinhua said, citing the city's municipal flood control headquarters. Over 80,000 people have been evacuated in the Chinese capital alone, local state-run outlet Beijing Daily said on social media. It added that 'continuous extreme heavy rainfall caused major disasters.' The death toll was highest in Miyun, a suburban district northeast of the city center, it said. Also badly affected were Huairou district in the north of the city and Fangshan in the southwest, state media said. Dozens of roads have been closed and over 130 villages have lost electricity, Beijing Daily said. 'Please pay attention to weather forecasts and warnings and do not go to risk areas unless necessary,' the outlet said. In Miyun, a resident surnamed Liu said he watched floodwater sweep away vehicles outside his apartment block early Monday morning. AFP journalists there saw a crawler lift people and a dog to safety as rescuers waded through water up to their knees. Nearby, in the town of Mujiayu, AFP journalists saw a reservoir release a torrent of water. Power lines were swept away by muddy currents while military vehicles and ambulances plowed flooded streets. Firefighters also rescued 48 people trapped in an elderly care center, CCTV reported. Chinese President Xi Jinping urged authorities late Monday to plan for worst-case scenarios and rush the relocation of residents of flood-threatened areas. Beijing Daily said local officials had 'made all-out efforts to search and rescue missing persons... and made every effort to reduce casualties.' In Hebei province, which encircles the capital, a landslide in a village near the city of Chengde killed four people, with eight still missing, state broadcaster CCTV reported Monday. Natural disasters are common across China, particularly in the summer when some regions experience heavy rain while others bake in searing heat. China is the world's biggest emitter of the greenhouse gases that scientists say drive climate change and contribute to making extreme weather more frequent and intense. But it is also a global renewable energy powerhouse that aims to make its massive economy carbon-neutral by 2060. Flash floods in the eastern Shandong province killed two people and left 10 missing this month. A landslide on a highway in Sichuan province this month also killed five people after it swept several cars down a mountainside.