The head of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Lieutenant General Haider Malik, has said that rescue operations are still underway as Pakistan continues to grapple with severe flooding. So far, 2.4 million people have been evacuated to safe locations in Punjab, while 900 people have died nationwide due to recent floods and heavy rains.
Briefing officials on the latest situation, the NDMA chairman warned of possible rains in central Punjab and Pakistan-administered Kashmir from September 16 to 18. He also noted that glaciers are melting rapidly due to rising temperatures, which could further intensify the crisis.
During the same briefing, the Minister for Climate Change confirmed the nationwide death toll and announced that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has decided to impose a climate emergency to address the escalating challenges. The Minister added that advance arrangements have been made in anticipation of further flooding in Sindh.
As reported by BBC Urdu, federal and provincial authorities remain on high alert, coordinating evacuation efforts, relief distribution, and medical assistance to protect vulnerable communities in the most affected regions.