Death toll rises to 124 during monsoon rains in Pakistan

Eight people, including six children, died on Wednesday during torrential rains in Pakistan, bringing the monsoon season’s death toll up to 124 people, according to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority. House collapses or flash flooding caused most of the deaths recorded since the monsoon rains began on June 26, according to the agency. More than half of all deceased were children, disaster management records show.

Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province, where the majority of the deaths occurred, would likely experience more urban flooding in the next few days, the National Disaster Management Authority reported on Wednesday. The Sheikhupura weather station in Punjab province recorded about 8 ½ inches of rainfall in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday evening, according to the agency. Many other weather stations reported totals in the 6-inch range.

How were government officials addressing the situation? The Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, on Thursday said she declared an emergency in several areas of the province. Officials were using sirens and public announcements to keep people informed, she said.

First responders had also rescued 262 people and sheltered 176 in relief camps since the rains and floods began in June, according to the National Disaster Management Authority.

Dig deeper: Read Christina Grube’s report on heavy rains and a possible tropical storm expected to hit the U.S. Gulf states.