ISLAMABAD: The death toll from rain-related incidents and floods in Pakistan has risen to 706, as the army steps up relief efforts in the hardest-hit areas.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), at least 24 more people died in the past 24 hours, bringing the total fatalities since June 26 to 706. The number of injured has climbed to 965.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been the worst affected, with 427 deaths, followed by Punjab (164), Sindh (29), Balochistan (22), Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (56), and the Islamabad region (8).
Army spokesperson Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that relief operations have intensified, with 6,903 people rescued and medical assistance provided through nine camps in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, reported The Express Tribune. Eight army units are engaged in relief work in the province, with two battalions operating in Buner, while Army Aviation supports rescue and supply missions.
Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar stated that relief activities are being expedited through close coordination between the NDMA, Pakistan Army, and federal and provincial governments. So far, 25,000 people have been relocated to safer areas.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast thunderstorms and heavy rainfall across much of the country in the next 24 hours, warning of possible flooding in local streams, nullahs, and low-lying urban areas of Punjab, Islamabad, Peshawar, and Sindh.
