Nearly 100 people dead as monsoon rains lash Pakistan

Every year, many cities in Pakistan struggle to cope with the annual summer deluge, drawing criticism about poor planning.

People wade through a flooded road after heavy rainfalls in Hyderabad, Pakistan, August. 25, 2020.
AP

People wade through a flooded road after heavy rainfalls in Hyderabad, Pakistan, August. 25, 2020.

Three days of monsoon rains have killed at least 90 people and damaged 1,000 homes across Pakistan, the country's national disaster management agency has said.

Streets and homes were flooded with sewage water in Karachi on Tuesday, where the drainage and sewage systems are outdated.

Many people were stranded, unable to leave their houses or offices as rain water collected on the road.

Of the total of the rain-related casualties, 31 deaths were reported in southern Sindh province, while 23 people died in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, according to the agency. 

It said 15 deaths were reported in southwestern Baluchistan province and eight in Punjab province.

Thirteen more people died elsewhere in northern Pakistan, including three in the Pakistan-administered sector of Kashmir.

AA

Streets and homes were flooded with sewage water in Karachi, where the drainage and sewage systems are outdated. August 25, 2020.

More rains forecast

The rains are expected to continue this week in Karachi, where Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier this month sent troops to help local authorities in pumping out rainwater from inundated residential areas.

Meanwhile the city's infrastructure is struggling to cope with heavy monsoon rains, as seen this year.

Sardar Sarfaraz, Karachi head of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, said rainfall of as little as 50 mm could cause urban flooding in some of Karachi's low-lying areas, with the most recent downpour easily exceeding that across the city.

Every year, many cities in Pakistan struggle to cope with the annual monsoon deluge, drawing criticism about poor planning. The monsoon season runs from July through September.

READ MORE: South Asia floods claim over a thousand lives

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