Landslide kills 8 children in Pakistan amid Monsoon floods
July 7, 2023
At least 50 people in Pakistan have died from floods and landslides triggered by two weeks of monsoon rains, officials said on Friday.
Most deaths were in eastern Punjab province, mainly due to electrocutions and building collapses.
However, the figure includes eight children killed by a landslide while playing cricket after monsoon rains on Thursday evening.
The incident occurred in the remote Shangla district in northern Pakistan; the children were aged between 12 and 15.
More than a dozen children had set up a cricket pitch close to sand rock when it collapsed and buried them, district emergency unit officer Sanaullah Khan said.
After hours of efforts, local rescue teams later joined by the Pakistan army pulled out eight bodies.
Another child was critically injured, while the rest were unharmed.
Pakistan to witness more heavy rainfall
The Meteorological department has predicted more heavy rainfall nationwide in the days ahead and warned of potential flooding in the catchment areas of Punjab's major rivers.
It has prompted the disaster management agency to be on high alert for fear of flash floods.
Pakistan hit hard by climate change
The South Asian nation, which has the world's fifth largest population, is responsible for less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
However, it is one of the most vulnerable nations to extreme weather caused by global warming.
Climate change is making seasonal rains heavier and more unpredictable in Pakistan, the scientists said.
In the last season, the abnormal monsoon rains and glacial melt caused historical flooding in the country, killing over 1,700 people and displacing millions.
It also caused $30 billion (€27.59 billion) worth of damage in cash-strapped Pakistan in 2022.
ara/lo (AFP, AP, Reuters)