Torrential rains and flash floods sweeping across Pakistan since the onset of the monsoon season this week have resulted in the deaths of at least 32 people, including 16 children, according to local disaster management authorities.
In the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 19 fatalities were recorded in the past 36 hours alone, with eight children among the dead, the provincial disaster authority said on Saturday. The majority of those deaths — 13 in total — occurred in the mountainous Swat Valley.
Meanwhile, in Punjab province to the east, another 13 people have been confirmed dead since Wednesday. Most of the victims, including several children, died when heavy rainfall caused roofs and walls to collapse.
The floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa also left a trail of destruction, damaging 56 homes — six of which were completely levelled — according to officials.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has issued warnings that intense rainfall and the threat of flash floods are likely to persist until at least Tuesday.
Just last month, another 32 people lost their lives in storms across the country, which has already faced numerous extreme weather incidents this year, including damaging hailstorms in the spring.
Pakistan, home to around 240 million people, ranks among the nations most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Experts warn that such deadly weather events are becoming more frequent and severe due to global warming.
