ISLAMABAD: The death toll from the devastating floods triggered by monsoon rains since the middle of June this year has reached 1,481 as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted more rains in some worst-affected areas of the country, especially in Sindh.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) daily flood situation report issued here on Tuesday, out of 1,481 deaths owing to the floods, Sindh has reported 638, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) 303, Balochistan 278, Punjab 191, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) 48, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) 22, and Islamabad Capital Territory one death.
The NDMA report said that the rain waters across the country have resulted in injuries to 12,748 people since June 14, of which, 8,321 people are injured in Sindh, 3,858 in Punjab, 368 in KPK, 172 in Balochistan, 24 in KPK, and five in GB.
Authorities are scrambling to evacuate people from the flooded areas of Sindh as the meteorological department said moderate to heavy rainfall is expected in multiple districts of the province in the next 24 to 72 hours. At least 638 people have died in the province including 274 children.
Flood Forecasting Division has advised all concerned federal ministries/departments, Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) of Punjab and Sindh, Punjab Irrigation Department, Sindh Irrigation Department, and respective district administration, municipal/city administrations to take all necessary measures in dealing with any untoward situation.
According to the NDMA data, in the past 24 hours, nationwide a total 54 flood-related deaths were reported, of which, 44 in Sindh, eight in Balochistan, and two in the AJK. The NDMA data further revealed six flood water-related injuries were reported in Balochistan province. The rain waters also swept away 24,869 livestock in Sindh taking the provincial tally to 180,911. A total of 4,453 houses were also damaged in the past 24 hours, of which, 4,451 in Sindh, while one each in the AJK and the KPK.
The floodwaters damaged a total of 1,755,281 houses across the country, of which, 569,800 are fully destroyed and 1,185,481 partially. Sindh is the worst-affected province on account of damages to houses as a total of 1,537,459 houses are damaged in Sindh, of which, 489,222 are fully destroyed, while 1.05 million partially, followed by KPK with 91,458, of which, 37,523 fully and 53,935 partially; Balochistan with 64,385 houses damaged, of which, 18,410 fully and 45,975 partially, and Punjab with 60,241, of which, 23,764 fully and 36,477 partially.
The floods have caused damage to at least 12,418 kilometres of road networks across the country, of which, 8,431 kilometres highways network has been damaged in Sindh, 1,575 in KPK, 1,500 kilometres in Balochistan, 896 kilometres in Punjab, and 16 kilometres in GB. The floods have affected 81 districts out of 160 districts of the country. The government has started joint survey/damage assessment drive in 30 districts of Balochistan, three districts of Punjab, four districts of GB, while the survey in rest of the country will commence once the rain waters start receding.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022
Comments
Comments are closed for this article.