Monsoon death toll nears 100 as fresh rains trigger flood warnings across country

• Nationwide fatalities rise to 97 after 11 more deaths in rain-related incidents over past 24 hours

• Punjab records seven deaths as fresh monsoon spell intensifies risk of house collapses and flooding

• PMD forecasts widespread rain and isolated heavy falls over next 48 hours across northern and central regions

 ISLAMABAD: The nationwide monsoon death toll climbed to 97 after 11 more people lost their lives in rain-related incidents over the past 24 hours, disaster management authorities said on Saturday, as a fresh spell of heavy monsoon rains swept across parts of the country and forecasters warned that widespread downpours and isolated heavy falls would persist over the next two days, raising the risk of flooding in vulnerable areas.

The latest fatalities came after a fresh monsoon spell lashed Punjab on Friday, making it the worst-affected province during the latest reporting period with seven deaths, while the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) warned that continued heavy rainfall could aggravate flooding risks in several parts of the country.

“Widespread rain-wind/thunderstorm with isolated heavy falls is expected over Islamabad and Kashmir,” the PMD’s Flood Forecasting Division said in its daily bulletin, adding that similar weather conditions were likely to prevail over various regions during the next 24 to 48 hours.

The forecast covers large parts of Punjab, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Jhelum, Kasur, Sialkot, Sheikhupura, Sargodha and Chiniot, among other districts.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) latest situation report, the nationwide death toll since the onset of the monsoon season on June 26 has risen to 97, while 297 people have been injured.

Most of the latest fatalities in Punjab were caused by house collapses, with deaths reported in Lahore, Kasur and Chiniot, while one person drowned in Gujranwala, according to the NDMA.

For the season as a whole, house collapses have accounted for more than half of all fatalities, followed by flash floods, lightning strikes and drowning incidents.

The Flood Forecasting Division said the Chenab River was flowing at medium flood level at Khanki and Qadirabad, while all other major rivers remained at low or below-low flood levels.

It also warned of flash flooding in the hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan and pluvial flooding in southeastern Sindh during the next 24 to 36 hours.

According to the PMD, the prevailing weather system is being driven by a combination of a westerly wave over northwestern Pakistan, a seasonal low-pressure area over northwest Balochistan, and moisture-laden currents from the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, creating conditions conducive to widespread rainfall across much of the country.