ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s disaster agency on Thursday issued a high alert for Sindh as heavy monsoon rains and swollen rivers threatened to inundate large parts of the southern province, even as Punjab, the country’s most populous region, remained under severe pressure from surging Chenab River flows.
Nationwide, more than 883 people have died in rains, floods and landslides since the monsoon season began on June 26, according to the NDMA, reviving memories of Pakistan’s catastrophic 2022 deluges when a third of the country was submerged, 30 million displaced and economic losses exceeded $35 billion.
On Thursday evening, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said Sindh’s southern districts including Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Sanghar, Karachi, Hyderabad and Jamshoro could see heavy downpours in the coming days, while the northern districts of Sukkur, Ghotki, Larkana, Khairpur, Dadu and Jacobabad were also at risk.
With flood peaks still moving downstream from Punjab, the alert warned of “high to very high” flooding along the eastern rivers, urging residents of riverine areas to evacuate without delay.
“Your lives are precious, and no unnecessary risk should be taken in the face of natural calamities,” First Lady Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari told communities during a preparedness visit to embankments near Nawabshah.
