ISLAMABAD – As Pakistan grapples with intense monsoon rains, a tragic report from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has revealed that 245 people have died and 602 injured in rain-related incidents nationwide since June 26.
Among the deceased are 118 children, 83 men, and 44 women. The breakdown of casualties across provinces is as follows:
- Punjab: 135 deaths, 470 injuries
- Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: 59 deaths, 73 injuries
- Sindh: 24 deaths, 40 injuries
- Balochistan: 16 deaths, 4 injuries
- Gilgit-Baltistan: 3 deaths, 4 injuries
- Azad Kashmir: 2 deaths, 8 injuries
- Islamabad: 6 deaths, 3 injuries
The NDMA noted that house collapses, drowning, landslides, and flash floods remain the leading causes of fatalities. The rains have also destroyed 854 houses and caused the death of 208 livestock.
Senate Committee Raises Alarms Over Climate and Urban Planning
In response to the ongoing disaster, the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, chaired by Senator Sherry Rehman, raised alarms about unregulated construction along waterways, highlighting the recent drowning of a father-daughter duo in a private housing society in Rawalpindi.
Senator Rehman emphasized that these are not just natural disasters but a direct consequence of climate change and poor urban planning, particularly criticizing faulty sewage systems and unchecked development. She called for accountability of housing developers and stricter regulations moving forward.
