At least 170 people have been killed and several remain missing due to the various rain-related incidents across Pakistan, officials said on Tuesday. Monsoon rains over the past couple of days have caused havoc, with the highest number of damages and fatalities seen in the Sindh and Balochistan provinces.
Of the total 170 deaths so far, Sindh and Balochistan have now witnessed 103 deaths and many continued to remain missing, a senior official said. "In Sindh, 26 people have been killed in rain-related incidents in the southern Sindh province since Saturday while in Balochistan the death toll has risen to 77," according to a statement issued by the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities.
Every year, cities across Pakistan struggle with the annual monsoon deluge, drawing criticism about poor government planning. Balochistan and Sindh have been the worst affected with rains in the two provinces exceeding the 30-year record for July this year.
The Sindh government has imposed a rain emergency in Karachi since Monday after several areas and main roads across the city were submerged with water. On main roads, waist-high water left people and cars stranded for hours. “There have also been around 50 injuries as floods have breached 8 dams across Balochistan,” Director-General of Balochistan's Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Naseer Ahmed Nasar said.
Meanwhile, the disaster management authorities were busy in relief operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Tuesday after two people were killed and three injured during rains and floods. The Met Office has forecast more rains and flash floods for Balochistan while in Karachi the heavy rainfall will resume again on Thursday.
