The official Pakistan’s monsoon death toll has surged to 985, as devastating floodwaters begin receding in the north and flow downstream toward southern population centers. The National Disaster Management Authority confirmed the figures on Monday, detailing casualties from flash floods, landslides, and structural collapses since the season began on June 26.
Authorities report the situation is now shifting. While water levels in Punjab’s Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers are returning to normal, the flood surge is moving toward Sindh province. Consequently, this transition places millions more residents at risk in the coming weeks.
Current Breakdown of Monsoon Casualties
The human cost of the disaster is starkly uneven across regions. The northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province has borne the brunt, reporting 504 fatalities. Furthermore, Punjab has recorded 287 deaths, followed by Sindh with 80. The regions of Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, and Balochistan have reported 41, 38, and 26 deaths, respectively.
Floodwaters Shift Downstream Toward Sindh
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the hydrological stress has consolidated at key points in southern Punjab. Specifically, the Panjnad confluence, where the five major rivers merge, remains at a “very high flood” level. Meanwhile, the Indus River flood wave is building at Guddu Barrage.
The PDMA’s report projects that the Sukkur Barrage will receive approximately 600,000 cusecs of water by September 17-18. This volume will then take over a week to move downstream, with peak discharges expected at Kotri Barrage near the end of the month. “The flood will remain across Sindh through September before sinking into the Arabian Sea by month-end,” the authority stated.
Power Infrastructure and Lingering Damage
Beyond the immediate flood threat, the catastrophe has crippled essential services. Heavy rains and flooding triggered widespread power outages across several Punjab districts. Officials from the Ministry of Water and Power confirmed that 51 grid stations and 543 feeders were affected.
However, restoration efforts are underway. Teams have fully restored 309 feeders and partially restored another 226, working to return electricity to impacted communities. This disaster eerily echoes the devastating 2022 floods, which submerged a third of the country, killed over 1,700 people, and caused an estimated $30 billion in damages.
Climate Change and a Vulnerable Nation
This recurring tragedy highlights Pakistan’s acute vulnerability to climate change. Despite contributing less than 1% to global greenhouse gas emissions, the country is consistently ranked among the top nations most adversely affected by climate-related disasters. The escalating frequency and intensity of Pakistan’s monsoon seasons present a severe, ongoing challenge to the nation’s infrastructure and resilience.
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