ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: Pakistan’s Meteorological Department on Thursday forecast more heavy rains across the country until Aug. 29, as the nation reels from devastating monsoon downpours and flash floods that have killed at least 458 people since Aug. 15.
Torrential rains that started last week have inundated large swathes of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and caused hill torrents and flash floods, with 394 people killed since Aug. 15. Gilgit-Baltistan reported 26 deaths, Azad Jammu and Kashmir 20, and Sindh 14 over the same period. Karachi, the financial hub and southern port city, recorded 17 deaths between Aug. 19 and 20 as flooded roads and underpasses left thousands of commuters stranded.
Cumulatively, since the start of the monsoon season on June 26, at least 771 people have died and 993 have been injured nationwide. KP has reported the highest number of casualties at 465, followed by Punjab with 165, Gilgit-Baltistan with 45, Sindh with 42, Balochistan and Azad Kashmir with 23 each, and Islamabad with eight.
In its latest advisory, the Met Office said strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal were likely to penetrate upper parts of the country from Aug. 22. A westerly wave was also expected to reach the same regions by the night of Aug. 22.
