Pakistan continues to grapple with the deadly impact of this year’s monsoon season, as nearly 150 people have lost their lives and hundreds more have been injured since the rains began in late June, according to disaster management authorities.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported earlier this week that at least 111 fatalities had been recorded across the country since June 26. With an additional 27 deaths reported in Punjab province within the last 24 hours, the nationwide death toll is now approaching 150.

In Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed that 77 citizens have died and 214 have been injured due to heavy monsoon downpours, floods, and related accidents. The agency issued a renewed warning for citizens to avoid vulnerable structures and low-lying areas, emphasizing that most deaths were caused by collapsing roofs in dilapidated and mud-built homes.

“Citizens are urged not to stay in old mud houses under any circumstances,” a PDMA spokesperson said in a statement, adding that children should be kept away from electric wires, poles, and flooded areas to avoid further tragedies.

The monsoon season, which begins in late June in Pakistan and lasts through September, is a critical period for the country’s agricultural economy, delivering up to 80 percent of annual rainfall. However, its increasingly erratic and intense patterns have led to frequent flooding, landslides, and structural collapses, turning the seasonal lifeline into a recurring disaster.

Authorities have warned of another wet spell between July 15 and July 17, prompting heightened alerts in vulnerable districts. Emergency responders and local governments have been mobilized, while Punjab’s chief minister has directed hospitals to provide maximum medical assistance to the injured. Families of the deceased will receive financial compensation in line with provincial policy.

Despite contributing less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, Pakistan remains among the top countries most vulnerable to climate change. The disaster-prone nation is still recovering from the catastrophic 2022 floods, which submerged a third of the country, displaced over 33 million people, and caused over $30 billion in damages, according to government estimates.

The PDMA emphasized that while the state is responding, public vigilance and precautionary behavior are essential to minimizing further loss of life and property. “By adopting precautionary measures,” officials said, “the devastating effects of the monsoon season can be significantly reduced.” (ILKHA)