As many as 54 persons have been killed in the past 24 hours in rains across Pakistan, taking the total to 180 since the arrival of monsoon in late June, said the government’s disaster agency on Thursday.
The incessant torrential rain since Wednesday morning has made life difficult across the Punjab province, causing flooding in the urban areas.
Residents living near the riverside that runs through the cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad have been ordered to evacuate after a sharp rise in the water levels.
“In the past 24 hours, 54 people have been killed and 227 injured across Pakistan, with the majority of the deaths being reported from Punjab,” said a government spokesperson on Thursday.
Also read: Amarnath Yatra suspended due to relentless rainfall
She informed reporters that so far they have been able to confirm the death of 180 people, including 70 children, with 500 more injured since the beginning of the monsoon season on June 26.
The government has decided to close public places, including suspending educational and administrative government offices, for Thursday and Friday amid bad weather conditions.
"Residents of vulnerable areas should prepare emergency kits with food, water, and essential medicines for three to five days in case of an emergency," said the government.
In 2022, monsoon floods had submerged a third of the country and left 1,700 people dead.
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