Pakistan declares emergency as incessant rainfall kill 49
Pakistan has declared a state of emergency after unusually heavy rainfall killed 49 people over the past three days. The victims include farmers who were struck by lightning while tending to their wheat crops. In addition to human casualties, flash floods have also disrupted power supplies and transportation networks. The incessant rains have also caused numerous homes to collapse in the northwest and eastern Punjab province, adding to the death toll.
Death toll rises across multiple provinces
Arfan Kathia, a representative for the provincial disaster management authority, reportedly confirmed that 21 fatalities occurred in Punjab alone due to extreme weather conditions. Separately, the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, bordering Afghanistan, reported 21 deaths. At least seven were killed in the westernmost Balochistan province where authorities have declared a state of emergency, as per AFP. National Capital Islamabad was also reported to be severely inundated.
Government response and unusual weather patterns
In response to the crisis, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has instructed authorities to distribute relief aid. On a positive note, he said that these rains could potentially replenish Pakistan's water reservoirs. However, Rafay Alam, an environmental expert from Pakistan, pointed out that such intense rainfall in April is unusual and may be a consequence of climate change. Notably, torrential rains in 2022 led to one-third of Pakistan flooding, resulting in 1,739 deaths and causing US $30 billion worth of damage.
Neighboring Afghanistan also affected by severe weather
Neighboring Afghanistan has also been impacted by heavy flooding due to seasonal rains over the past three days, resulting in 33 deaths and injuries to 27 others. Over 600 homes were damaged or destroyed, around 200 livestock perished, and large areas of agricultural land and more than 85km (53 miles) of roads were devastated. Afghan authorities have provided aid to nearly 23,000 families as flash floods were reported in 20 of the country's 34 provinces.
Balochistan inundated by incessent rainfall
According to BBC, extensive areas of Pasni, a Baloch coastal town, have been covered by rainwater. "Pasni looks like a big lake at the moment as flash floods enter human settlements and main commercial areas," Noor Ahmed Kalmati, chairman of the town's municipal committee, told Pakistan newspaper Dawn. Streets in the northwestern city of Peshawar and capital Quetta were also flooded.
