18 dead in Pakistan after heavy rain, thunderstorms
Torrential rains and severe thunderstorms have claimed lives of at least 18 and injured more than 110 people in Pakistan's Punjab province
- LAHORE — Torrential rains and severe thunderstorms have claimed lives of at
least 18 and injured more than 110 people in Pakistan's Punjab province, the
authorities revealed on Monday.
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- The aggressive rains swept away homes, causing structural
collapse across the province. As per Punjab Provincial Disaster Management
Authority (PDMA), rain-related incidents in the province were unprecedented and
beyond expectations. It admitted that although heavy rainfall had been
forecast, the severity of the system was not anticipated.
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- As many as 124 incidents of structural collapse have been
reported so far from across the Punjab province since Saturday, majority of
which are linked with solar panels installed on rooftops. Sources said that the
solar panels were not installed with adequate safety measures.
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- "80 per cent of the collapses involved solar plates.
Except for three incidents, all others were caused by these installations. We
welcome solar technology, but installations must be secure to prevent such
tragedies," said PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia.
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- "I urge citizens to be prepared for worsening
weather patterns as there is a link between increasing temperatures and extreme
climate events," he added.
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- Kathia warned that Pakistan is facing the consequences of
a 1 to 1.5 degrees Celsius rise in global temperature, revealing that the year
2025 is the second consecutive year when a sudden seven degree Celsius increase
in temperature has been witnessed during the summer season, which has caused
severe heat waves.
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- "For any real reduction in temperature, we need
serious action – afforestation, better urban planning and collective efforts
across South Asia. Despite the fact that the government has introduced multiple
measures to protect citizens, including water supply efforts and early warning
systems; there is a need for regional cooperation and long-term
strategies," he said.
