April brought flash floods, landslides and severe weather that destroyed houses and destroyed crops in some areas. In Pakistan, the amount of precipitation “in April is 164 percent. exceeded the norm, it is very unusual,” said a spokesman for the Pakistan Meteorological Department, adding that “these erratic weather patterns are a direct result of climate change.”
Pakistan has become increasingly vulnerable to unpredictable weather conditions, including the often destructive monsoon rains that usually begin in July.
The worst casualties in April were in the north-west of the country, where 83 people were killed, including 38 children, and more than 3,500 houses were damaged. People died in roof collapses and landslides, officials said Tuesday.
Hailstorms destroyed wheat crops in parts of northern Punjab, the country’s most populous province. Several people, including farmers harvesting wheat, were killed by lightning in Punjab earlier this month, officials said, taking the total to 21 in various rain-related incidents.
In April, another 21 deaths were reported in Balochistan province, including seven people struck by lightning. In some districts, the rain disrupted life and schools were closed.
At least 14 people were killed in parts of Pakistan-administered Kashmir, at least four in road accidents linked to flooding in the southern province of Sindh.
According to World Bank estimates, in 2022 In the summer, one third of Pakistan was submerged by unprecedented monsoon rains, which forced the displacement of millions of people, and the country suffered a loss of 30 billion. damages and economic losses.
Some parts of the country have been lashed by heavy rains this month, with Sunday being the hottest day of the year in the largest city of Karachi, with temperatures reaching 37 degrees Celsius.
Tags: Heavy rains Pakistan Dozens people died due lightning strikes storms
