97 children among over 200 dead as monsoon rains intensify in country

Torrential monsoon rains and resulting floods have claimed at least 203 lives and left 562 people injured across Pakistan, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Sunday.

According to the latest situation report, the victims include 69 men, 37 women, and 97 children. Among the injured are 223 men, 157 women, and 182 children. In the past 24 hours alone, 10 more deaths and 18 injured people were reported in rain-related incidents across various regions.

Punjab has emerged as the hardest-hit province, accounting for 123 deaths and 454 injuries. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has reported 41 fatalities and 58 injured, followed by Sindh with 21 deaths and injuries to 40 people. Balochistan has recorded 16 deaths, while Azad Jammu & Kashmir and Islamabad have each reported one fatality. Gilgit-Baltistan has so far reported no casualties.

The NDMA, working alongside the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), has issued multiple alerts for flooding, particularly along the Indus and Jhelum rivers. The Flood Forecasting Division warned of rising water levels in River Jhelum at Mangla and in River Chenab at Marala, posing a risk to nearby low-lying areas.

Authorities have urged provincial and district administrations to remain on high alert, especially in flood-prone regions of Punjab and KP. Urban flooding has already disrupted daily life in major cities including Lahore, Peshawar, and Karachi.

The PMD has forecast further rain, wind, and thundershowers in parts of Sindh over the next 24 hours, with heavy downpours expected in Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Thatta, Badin, Larkana, Jacobabad, Nawabshah, and Mirpurkhas.

Emergency services remain mobilized as the country braces for continued weather disruptions in the days ahead.