Lightning, thunderstorms and heavy rains have killed 29 people in Pakistan amid predictions of more rough weather in the South Asian country, which is particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change.
At least 17 people including children and women were killed in the central province of Punjab when lightning struck at different places, rescue official Farooq Ahmad said.
Another eight people lost their lives to heavy rains and thunderstorms in the south-western region of Balochistan, the local disaster management agency said.
Falling roofs and crumbling walls after two days of downpour caused four deaths in the rugged mountains of the north-west, according to local rescue official Bilal Faizi.
More rains and thunderstorms were expected to hit the country in the coming days, chief metrologist Sardar Sarfraz said.
Heavy rainfalls, thunderstorms and flooding is unusual in the South Asian region, one of the most populous in the world, outside of the monsoon season between July and September.
“This is clearly a warning sign that the climate change is real and here,” environmentalist doctor Pervaiz Amir said.
Pakistan is responsible for less than 1% of global carbon emissions, but is among the top 10 most climate-vulnerable nations.
More than 2,000 people were killed by catastrophic floods and subsequent outbreak of diseases in Pakistan in 2022 when a third of the country was submerged, affecting 33 million people.