Monsoon Rains Claimed 164 Lives In Pakistan

Heavy rains and related flooding in Pakistan have killed 164 people, including 39 children, during the current monsoon season.

The torrential rains have also left hundreds of people homeless. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and provincial government teams are carrying out rescue and relief operation in the affected areas. Sindh and Punjab provinces were the worst hit with 38 fatalities in each province since the advent of the monsoon season, the NDMA said yesterday.

"From June 26 till September 6, a total of 164 people have been reported killed, including 39 children, while 167 people injured in rain-related incidents and 440 houses damaged," it said.

Monsoon hits Pakistan every year in June and the season normally ends in September. During this period, the country receives heavy rains which cause severe flooding in many areas. The most destructive floods caused by heavy rains hit the country in 2010 in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab and Sindh, leaving over 1,500 people dead.

According to a UN report, 557,226 houses were destroyed and over six million people were displaced.