Danger ahead

Pakistan is bracing for another dangerous monsoon spell, having already suffered immense human and material losses. The current monsoon season has proven devastating, with a new wave of extreme weather threatening further destruction.

Official figures from June 26 to August 7 record a grim toll: 151 deaths, including 73 children, and 448 injuries. Beyond the fatalities, the monsoon has wreaked havoc on infrastructure, damaging over 1,200 houses and dozens of bridges, along with kilometers of roads. The district of Chitral exemplifies how quickly such destruction can cascade into other emergencies.

In Chitral, glacial lake outburst floods (Glofs), cloudbursts, and flash floods have washed away vital bridges and severed road access. This isolation has crippled communities' ability to reach essential healthcare services. Attendance at the Lower Chitral district headquarters hospital has plummeted by approximately 55 percent, and patients from some remote villages have ceased arriving altogether. Medical professionals are already reporting an increase in gastroenteritis and dysentery, with fears of impending outbreaks of typhoid and malaria. Pregnant women unable to access medical facilities face heightened risks, while post-traumatic stress is becoming evident among the affected populations. The situation starkly illustrates how extreme weather events cause fatalities not only through direct impacts like torrents and collapsing homes but also through the ensuing secondary crises.