Pakistan floods: death toll surges over 700, more intense spell likely till Sept 10; schools, colleges shut in Karachi

The Sindh government also  ordered all private and public educational institutions across the city to remain closed on Wednesday, after Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab declared a rain emergency.

More than 25,000 people have been rescued so far from flood-hit areas, NDMA chief Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik said.

Flash floods triggered by cloudbursts in the mountainous northwest have brought destruction since Friday in the worst spell of this year’s monsoon in the country. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was the worst hit, where 427 people have died so far, followed by 164 in Punjab, 29 in Sindh, 22 in Balochistan, 56 in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and eight in the Islamabad region, PTI said.

Flights disrupted

The domestic and international flight operations at Jinnah International Airport were also affected, The Dawn reported.

The Pakistan Aviation Authority (PAA) confirmed that several flights were either delayed, cancelled or diverted to an alternative airport due to inclement weather.

More rain warning

Further, Pakistan’s Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast torrential rains in Sindh, parts of Balochistan, and other regions of the country in the coming days. The phenomenon has been attributed to the strong monsoon currents from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal which are continuously penetrating the country, particularly the southern parts.