Pakistan floods: Death toll crosses 700, heavy rains to continue till Sept 10

Over 700 people have died in rain-related incidents since late June as Pakistan endures one of its deadliest monsoon seasons, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said Tuesday.

Flash floods caused by cloudbursts in the mountainous northwest have wreaked havoc since Friday, marking the most destructive spell of this year’s rains.

NDMA warned that more intense downpours are expected across the country until September 10.

Sindh authorities have ordered all schools and colleges in Karachi to remain closed after Mayor Murtaza Wahab declared a rain emergency. Domestic and international flight operations at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport have also been disrupted, with several flights delayed, cancelled, or diverted due to the weather, according to Dawn.

NDMA chief Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik said more than 25,000 people have been rescued so far from flood-hit areas.

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has been the worst affected, recording 427 deaths, followed by Punjab (164), Sindh (29), Balochistan (22), Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (56), and Islamabad (8), PTI reported.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast further torrential rains in Sindh, Balochistan, and other regions, driven by strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. Humanitarian agencies warn that the situation could worsen if heavy rains persist.