Pakistan flood death toll crosses 300

At least 312 people have died and over two million affected due to rains and devastating floods in Pakistan, even as swelling waters continued to ravage the country’s southern Punjab province, officials said on Monday.

The floods were triggered after massive monsoon rains that started on September 3 and continued for several days. National Disaster Management Authority spokesperson Reema Zubari said 312 people have been killed due to floods and rains. They include 232 in Punjab, 66 in Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir and 14 in Gilgit-Baltistan regions.

She said more than 2,410,000 were affected in Punjab and over 40,000 in PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan. The floods have also destroyed crops over 1.5 million acres, dislocating poor localities and washing away villages.

The administration is now focusing on Rahimyar Khan and Rajanpur, the last two districts of Punjab, as after this the flood would hit southern province of Sindh, where most of the people have already been evacuated.

The rescue work in Multan and Muzaffargarh districts is still going on as there are reports that some people are still trapped in remote areas.

TV channels reported that several villages were flooded after a breach in the Lakhpal embankment along the Chenab river. They said the toll in Sunday’s boat capsize has reached 20. The boat was carrying a wedding party. The groom was among the dead.

Meanwhile, life is limping back to normal in the flood hit areas of Sialkot and Gujranwala. In rest of Punjab, the flood water has receded and assessment of losses and rehabilitation has started, she said.