Two days of monsoon torrents kill nearly 90 in Pakistan

Two days of torrential monsoon rains have killed at least 89 people in Pakistan, officials said Friday, as authorities ordered the evacuation of low-lying areas around a major river. The deaths have all come in the most populous province Punjab and in Pakistani-administered Kashmir. Pakistan has suffered deadly monsoon floods for the last four years - in 2013, 178 people were killed and around 1.5 million affected by flooding around the country. Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned there was a high risk of flooding in three towns along the Chenab river in Punjab and asked people to leave low-lying and vulnerable areas. Rizwan Naseer, the director general of rescue services in Punjab, said that in Lahore alone 18 people were left dead and 53 others were injured as a result of the flooding.

At least 48 people have been killed and 174 others wounded in Punjab.

Rizwan Naseer, director general of rescue services in Punjab

Troops have been mobilised for flood relief duties in eastern Punjab and “will remain on standby in Lahore”, the provincial capital. Eight army helicopters and 80 boats are taking part in rescue operations around the province, the military said. Dramatic images from Lahore, Pakistan’s second-largest city, showed some major streets and the Gaddafi cricket stadium flooded. Naseer warned that the death toll was likely to rise as reports were coming in of floodwaters sweeping through villages in rural areas.

Most of the deaths occurred due to roof collapses and electric shocks in the last 48 hours.

Rizwan Naseer

Asia-Pacific