Faced with heavy rains, Pakistan imposes 'Monsoon Emergency'

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 6 : Amidst the ongoing devastation and wreckage caused by heavy rains and floods in different parts of Pakistan, the Federal Ministry for Climate Change in Pakistan has warned of more rains in the coming weeks as the federal cabinet declared a "monsoon emergency" in the country, local media reported.
"According to the Pakistan MET department, the country will experience more rains in the coming week. Islamabad, Kashmir, Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Sindh will receive heavy rainfall from 6th to 9th of August," The Express Tribune quoted the tweet of federal minister for Climate Change, Senator Sherry Rehman.
"Balochistan recorded more than 600% above-normal rainfall during these monsoon spells since mid-June while Sindh received 500% more rain. Major cities are being warned against urban flooding, prolonged electricity outages, and flash floods," the Senator added.

Sherry said that the effects of climate change continue to exacerbate in the country as it experienced lengthy heatwaves, GLOFs and forest fires.

At least 549 people have died in Pakistan in the past month as a result of flash floods brought on by unusually strong monsoon rains, with rural areas in the province of Balochistan among the worst affected, reported The Express Tribune.

Aside from the fatalities, the flooding had damaged more than 46,200 houses, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of Pakistan said on Friday.

According to the NDMA, the past month saw 133 percent more rain than the 30-year average, making it the wettest in three decades. The disaster agency reported that Balochistan had 305 percent more rain than average for the year, reported The Express Tribune.