Monsoon rains claimed over 60 lives: NDMA

PMD official says third monsoon season is expected from August 6

ISLAMABAD: Over 60 people including 21 children and 10 women died in the recent spate of monsoon started from June 20, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) data released on Monday.

The data covers the tally from June 20, 2018 to July 30.

Most casualties in rain-related incidents were reported from Punjab where the death toll has reached 31, followed by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) 16, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and tribal districts of K-P reported seven deaths each, Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) two and Balochistan one.



Moreover, around 218 houses suffered damage of which the highest number was reported from Balochistan (110), followed by G-B 57, AJK 33, tribal districts of K-P 10 and Punjab eight.

Meanwhile third monsoon showers are expected from August 6 across the country including Sindh and they would continue for a week, Pakistan Meteorological Department spokesperson Khalid Malik told The Express Tribune.

He said in coming days there would also be a drop in humidity level in the country, which had caused uneasiness and discomfort among people.



 Malik added that monsoon season would reach its mid, by mid of August and would continue till September.

 Sharing details of monsoon rains during the month of July, he said that in this month Pakistan has received 55.5 millimetre of rain against 61.2 mm recorded in the corresponding month last year, which is being considered as normal.

“Rain has remained slightly below normal in July this year,” he said.

According to the NDMA, currently Indus River at Kalabagh and Kabul River at Nowshera are in low flood level. However, all the other major rivers are in the state of their normal flows.