Pakistan's monsoon disaster: More than 180 dead so far this season

Arab Weather - Heavy monsoon rains continue to batter Pakistan's Punjab province, killing 54 people in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of deaths since the start of the season in late June to 180, the government's Disaster Management Authority announced Thursday.

Floods and house collapses threaten the lives of thousands.

Rawalpindi and other parts of Punjab have been hit by unprecedented torrential rains since Wednesday morning, causing widespread flooding and house collapses. The floods have claimed numerous lives and left hundreds more injured, most of them due to collapsed roofs or walls or electrocution caused by the harsh weather conditions.

Evacuation warnings and emergency kit requests

With water levels dangerously high near a river in Rawalpindi, authorities have urged residents in nearby areas to evacuate immediately, a move aimed at minimizing human casualties. The Rawalpindi government also declared a public holiday on Thursday to force residents to stay indoors. The Meteorological Department has urged residents to prepare emergency kits containing enough food, water, and medicine to last for several days.

Continued rainfall and increased risk of flooding

The National Meteorological Authority warned that heavy rains and potential flooding will continue over the next 48 hours, exacerbating the challenges facing affected areas and making the situation even more dangerous for residents.

Pakistan on the front line of climate change

Pakistan is one of the countries most affected by climate change, experiencing increasingly severe weather events that impact the lives of more than 255 million people. Last May, the country experienced severe storms that resulted in dozens of deaths and injuries, underscoring the ongoing challenges of climate and extreme weather in the region.