According to provincial authorities, At least 63 people have lost their lives and nearly 300 have been injured in a day due to heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan’s Punjab province. The latest casualties raise the total number of deaths nationwide to at least 159 since the rains began in late June.
The torrential downpours have triggered flash floods, landslides, and widespread infrastructure damage, particularly affecting Punjab province, where situation remains critical. Authorities report hundreds of homes destroyed, thousands displaced, and large swathes of farmland submerged.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has raised a high flood warning for the River Jhelum near the northern town of Mangla. Officials warned that smaller streams may overflow and urged nearby residents to stay alert to protect local communities in the next 24 hours.
Since Wednesday morning, relentless rainfall has lashed several areas of Punjab province, leading to urban flooding.
Rescue teams used boats to evacuate families from villages along riversides further south in the morning. Still, the water had begun to recede by the afternoon.
Tariq Mehbood Bhatti, a 51-year-old farmer in Ladian village, told Al Jazeera, “Children were screaming for help, and women stood on rooftops, waving their shawls and begging to be rescued.”
monsoon incidents have killed about 180 people, and injured nearly 500, Reported by the National Disaster Management Authority. Collapsed homes have caused many of these deaths.
Rising flood situation in Punjab are submerging roads, damaging homes, and forcing families to evacuate.. Floods have uprooted entire communities, forcing many to take shelter in temporary camps or under open skies. Punjab stands out as one of the regions most devastated by this year’s relentless monsoon rains.
The monsoon from June to September provides vital rain for crops and farmers in South Asia. It provides up to 80% of the region’s annual rainfall and is essential for food security. But for those living in low-lying or poorly built areas, these same rains can mean loss, destruction, and heartbreak.
In recent years, South Asia’s climate has been heating up, with shifting monsoon patterns raising new challenges.
