Pakistan is currently in the peak monsoon season, with frequent heavy rainfall and flash floods occurring across the country. According to official statistics, at least 124 people have lost their lives due to monsoon-related disasters since June 26 this year, with over half of the victims being children, and 264 people have been injured.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan reported on Wednesday, July 16, that many of these fatalities were due to electrocution incidents and sudden floods caused by heavy rain. Data shows that children are the most affected group, with 63 child deaths out of the total 124 fatalities, and 108 cases of child injuries.
The worst-hit province is Punjab in the eastern part of the country, where the rain disasters have claimed 49 lives and injured 158 people. Most casualties occurred in low-lying urban areas without flood protection measures. Following Punjab is Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the northwest, where 38 people have died and 57 have been injured. Additionally, at least 522 houses, 9 bridges, and 10.5 kilometers of roads have been damaged in the disaster nationwide.
In fact, Pakistan’s climate department and the United Nations have long warned that the country faces extreme weather risks during the monsoon season each year. In 2022, Pakistan experienced its worst flood disaster on record, claiming over 1,700 lives and displacing millions of people.
Despite the Pakistani government’s annual emphasis on dredging and disaster preparedness before the monsoon season, weak local enforcement, coupled with poverty and inadequate infrastructure, have led to repeated large-scale disasters.