Monsoon mayhem: Torrential rains kill 63 people in Pakistan's Punjab, hundreds injured

At least 60 people have died in a single day in Pakistan’s Punjab province as heavy rains lashed the country. The torrential rains began on Wednesday, flooding the entire country in just three days.

The National Disaster Management Authority has said that most of the victims were crushed to death as buildings collapsed due to the unprecedented rainfall, while others either drowned or were electrocuted.

The latest deaths in Punjab have taken the total death toll to 180 since the rains started in June. Most of the dead included children, authorities have said.

Punjab province’s Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz announced an emergency in the region on Thursday, urging residents to follow safety guidelines.

Punjab authorities have warned of continued heavy rains and potential flash floods through the weekend, with thousands of rescuers across the province placed on high alert.

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What’s causing the flood?

The rains since last month have been triggered by the accelerated melting of glaciers, causing record-breaking summer temperatures.

In Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, a mountainous region over 1,200 metres above sea level known for its snow-capped peaks, temperatures have soared to an unprecedented 48.5 degrees Celsius. Local officials called it historic, surpassing the previous record of 47 degrees Celsius set in 1971.

The region has been witnessing glacial melting that has swelled rivers and formed unstable lakes, leading them to burst and trigger flash floods. Landslides in certain parts of the country have washed away villages and roads.

Gilgit-Baltistan is home to around 7,200 glaciers, though many have shrunk in number and size in recent years due to the climate crisis. These glaciers are crucial to Pakistan’s water supply, feeding key river basins across the country.

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The head of the region’s disaster management authority, Zakir Hussain, said, “We are facing a flood situation in many areas. The rise of temperature has sent a shiver down our spines. We have never before witnessed such weather here.”