Heavy Rain and Floods Kill Over 300 in Pakistan
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Pakistan has exceeded 300, with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province being the hardest hit region.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan: The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in Pakistan has surpassed 300, according to local officials.
Most of these deaths occurred in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as reported by the National Disaster Management Authority.
A significant incident involved a helicopter crash that claimed five lives, including two pilots, while on a mission to deliver relief supplies.
The chief minister of the province, Ali Amin Gandapur, issued a statement detailing this event.
The provincial government has declared several affected districts, such as Buner, Bajaur, Mansehra, and Battagram, as disaster-hit areas due to the severity of the flooding.
Visuals from Bajaur show people gathered around an excavator attempting to clear mud-soaked terrain, with funeral prayers conducted in a nearby field for those lost.
The meteorological department has issued heavy rain warnings for the northwest region, advising individuals to avoid exposed and vulnerable areas.
In Indian-administered Kashmir, a region also divided with Pakistan, at least 60 people were killed and dozens more washed away by flooding that swept through a Himalayan village.
The monsoon season in South Asia brings approximately three-quarters of its annual rainfall but is also known for causing destruction through landslides and flash floods.
This year's monsoon season started earlier than usual and is expected to last longer, with increased intensity forecasted over the next two weeks.
As a result, the provincial government has declared Saturday as a day of mourning.
The national flag will be flown at half-mast in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and victims will be buried with state honors.
Scientists have pointed out that climate change is exacerbating weather events worldwide, making them both more extreme and frequent.
Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to these effects, experiencing an increasing frequency of extreme weather events.
Since the onset of the summer monsoon, over 320 lives have been lost due to heavy rains in the country, with nearly half of these being children.
In July, Punjab province, which accounts for almost half of Pakistan's population, recorded a 73% increase in rainfall compared to the previous year, leading to more fatalities than in the entire previous monsoon season.
In 2022, monsoon floods affected one-third of the country and resulted in the deaths of 1,700 people.
Most of these deaths occurred in the mountainous Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, as reported by the National Disaster Management Authority.
A significant incident involved a helicopter crash that claimed five lives, including two pilots, while on a mission to deliver relief supplies.
The chief minister of the province, Ali Amin Gandapur, issued a statement detailing this event.
The provincial government has declared several affected districts, such as Buner, Bajaur, Mansehra, and Battagram, as disaster-hit areas due to the severity of the flooding.
Visuals from Bajaur show people gathered around an excavator attempting to clear mud-soaked terrain, with funeral prayers conducted in a nearby field for those lost.
The meteorological department has issued heavy rain warnings for the northwest region, advising individuals to avoid exposed and vulnerable areas.
In Indian-administered Kashmir, a region also divided with Pakistan, at least 60 people were killed and dozens more washed away by flooding that swept through a Himalayan village.
The monsoon season in South Asia brings approximately three-quarters of its annual rainfall but is also known for causing destruction through landslides and flash floods.
This year's monsoon season started earlier than usual and is expected to last longer, with increased intensity forecasted over the next two weeks.
As a result, the provincial government has declared Saturday as a day of mourning.
The national flag will be flown at half-mast in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and victims will be buried with state honors.
Scientists have pointed out that climate change is exacerbating weather events worldwide, making them both more extreme and frequent.
Pakistan is particularly vulnerable to these effects, experiencing an increasing frequency of extreme weather events.
Since the onset of the summer monsoon, over 320 lives have been lost due to heavy rains in the country, with nearly half of these being children.
In July, Punjab province, which accounts for almost half of Pakistan's population, recorded a 73% increase in rainfall compared to the previous year, leading to more fatalities than in the entire previous monsoon season.
In 2022, monsoon floods affected one-third of the country and resulted in the deaths of 1,700 people.
