Death toll across Pak reaches 234 in monsoon floods Punjab province worst affected

Lahore, Jul 23 (PTI) Monsoon rains have triggered floods in many parts of Pakistan, claiming 234 lives – most of them from Punjab province – since the end of June, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Wednesday.
     With the government warning of flood risk in major rivers and adjoining streams in Punjab from July 22 to 24, authorities are continuing evacuation efforts and urging people to shift along with their cattle, as floodwaters have damaged houses, fields and road infrastructure.
     Residents in Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Jhang and Nankana Sahib, all in Punjab province, were being moved to safer locations due to the rising water levels in the Chenab, Indus and Jhelum rivers through the day, officials said.
     The death toll across Pakistan increased from 223 to 234 in the last 24 hours. The NDMA had on Tuesday said Punjab remained the worst-hit province, with 135 deaths and 470 injuries recorded.
     Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz visited flood-affected areas of Nankana Sahib, around 80 kilometres from Lahore, and distributed relief material among the victims.
     A Punjab government official said low-level flooding has been observed in the Sutlej river at Sulemanki, while concerns remain over possible water releases from Indian dams on the Beas and Sutlej.
     Rising water levels have also been reported in the Ravi and Indus rivers, the official said, adding, floodwaters have also submerged standing crops in hundreds of villages across Punjab.
     Meanwhile, heavy rains have also caused flash floods in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and Gilgit-Baltistan in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on Wednesday, damaging houses and pushing up water levels in rivers and streams, prompting evacuations as water levels continue to rise.
     On Tuesday, the NDMA report had mentioned that 56 people lost their lives and 71 injured in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)