• Another round of rain, storms expected to hit country’s northern parts today
• Punjab gears up for sixth spell of heavy rains
ISLAMABAD: At least 299 people, including 140 children, have died and more than 700 others have been injured in flash floods and torrential rains that have battered several parts of Pakistan since late June, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Sunday.
The NDMA said the deluges, which began on June 26, have left a trail of devastation across the country. The dead include 102 men, 57 women and 140 children, while the injured include 239 children, 204 women and 272 men.
The severe weather has also caused widespread destruction, damaging a total of 1,676 houses, according to the agency’s data.
Of those, 562 homes were completely destroyed while 1,114 sustained partial damage.
The floods also led to the loss of 428 livestock, compounding the impact on local communities.
In response, the NDMA said it has carried out 223 rescue operations, successfully evacuating 2,880 people from flood-hit regions.
The authority has distributed more than 13,400 relief items to affected communities. These include almost 2,000 tents, 958 blankets, 569 quilts, 613 mattresses, and over 1,100 food packs.
Relief teams have also provided 1,282 kitchen sets, 350 life jackets, 1,122 hygiene kits, 2,170 tarpaulins, and 146 de-watering pumps, among other essential items.
Medical support has been mobilised, with 71 camps set up to treat those affected by the disaster. So far, 577 people have received medical attention.
The NDMA said the crisis has affected multiple regions, with joint relief operations underway in collaboration with provincial and federal agencies.
As per PMD’s latest forecast, rain, wind and thundershowers, with isolated heavy falls, are expected to hit the northern parts of the country, starting from August 4 till August 7.
Rainfall is expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Islamabad between these dates, while Gilgit-Baltistan will receive rainfall starting from August 5.
Meanwhile, Balochistan is forecast to experience mainly hot and humid weather, although rain, wind and thundershowers are expected in the northeastern and southern parts on Aug 6.
Sindh is likely to see hot and humid conditions in most parts, with cloudy weather and light rain expected in coastal areas.
Next spell likely to be heavier
In Punjab, Director General (DG) Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Irfan Ali Kathia warned residents on Sunday to prepare for a sixth round of heavy monsoon rains starting Aug 5.
“The ongoing rains could lead to medium to high-level flooding in the Chenab and Jhelum rivers, with the risk expected to begin from Aug 5,” Mr Kathia said.
According to PDMA, monsoon rains in August are expected to be heavier than those experienced last month. Rain is predicted in dozens of districts, including Lahore, Murree, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Sheikhupura, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur, Khanewal, and Rajanpur.
The warning advised of a specific risk of landslides in the tourist destinations of Murree and Galliyat, where weak buildings and mud houses could also be damaged.
Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2025