Submerged by floods : Floods continue to claim female lives

156 of the 191 casualties caused by ongoing floods reported to be female.

ISLAMABAD: The ongoing floods across the country have claimed 191 lives to date of which 156 are women, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

This year it is for the first time that a gender segregated data have been compiled by the NDMA since the floods hit the country. However data of children died or injured in the floods is still missing.

According to preliminary data gathered by the Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) from provinces, the highest number of women have reportedly been killed in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The reported deaths total 87 in K-P, 52 in Punjab, nine in AJ&K and four in Balochistan. Three women have died in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and one in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B).

According to the NDMA it is estimated that 1,336,544 people have been affected, 3,439 villages and 12,733 houses have been damaged so far. An official in the PMDA K-P who wished not to be named said data showed that no male has died in K-P and Punjab in the floods.

He was of the view that the reason behind this could be that most females were present at home and were killed when floodwater destroyed their households.

Situation at Kotri

According to latest Meteorological and Hydrological conditions observed by Flood Forecasting Division Lahore, River Indus at Kotri is likely to receive high flood level. Waters are expected to range between 450,000 cusecs to 550,000 cusecs from 0900 PST of August, 8 2015 and for at least 10 days.

River Sutlej

According to Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters releases from Indian reservoirs at Rivers Sutlej & Beas, River Sutlej at G.S.Wala is likely to attain low flood level. Water levels are expected to range between 45,000 cusecs to 55,000 cusecs from 1200 PST of August 13, 2015.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 12^th, 2015.