Nearly a week of torrential monsoon rains and flash floods in Pakistan have killed at least 46 people and wounded dozens, officials said Monday.
The National Disaster Management Authority and provincial emergency authorities said that 22 people were killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 13 in eastern Punjab province, seven in southern Sindh, and four in southwestern Balochistan as a result of unusually heavy rains that began Tuesday.
“We are expecting above-normal rains during the monsoon season and alerts have been issued to the concerned authorities to take precautionary measures,” said Irfan Virk, a Pakistan Meteorological Department deputy director.
Virk stated that analysts cannot rule out another instance of significant weather events such as the disastrous floods in 2022. Rains swamped one-third of the nation, killing 1,737 people and caused massive devastation.
The dead over the last week include 13 visitors from a family of 17 who were carried away Friday. The remaining four family members were rescued from the flooding Swat River in northeastern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Rescuers recovered 12 bodies from the group on Monday, while divers were still looking for the final casualty, according to Bilal Faizi, a provincial emergency service official.
The incident drew widespread condemnation online over what many called a slow response by emergency services.
On Sunday, the National Disaster Management Authority had warned of potential hazards and advised people against crossing rivers and streams.