Rescue boat capsizes in Jalalpur, killing five: PM grieves

A boat rescuing people from floods in eastern Pakistan flipped over, killing a 70-year-old woman and four children, authorities said Sunday.

Monsoon rains over the past week swelled three major rivers that cut through Punjab province, Pakistan's agricultural heartland and home to nearly half of its 255 million people.

"The incident happened when an underwater object hit Rescue 1122 boat," the provincial disaster management authority's director general Irfan Ali Kathia told local media.

"Ten other people were rescued but unfortunately five people lost their lives in the incident," he added of the incident late Saturday.

The flooded rivers have affected mostly rural areas near their banks but heavy rain also flooded urban areas, including several parts of Lahore -- the country's second-largest city.

While South Asia's seasonal monsoon brings rainfall that farmers depend on, climate change is making the phenomenon more erratic, and deadly, across the region.

Landslides and floods triggered by heavier-than-usual monsoon rains have killed more than 850 people nationwide since June.

PM grieved at Jalalpur boat tragedy
 
 Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives in a rescue boat tragedy in Jalalpur Pirwala.
The Prime Minister extended heartfelt condolences to the families of five people who lost their lives in the accident and prayed for the elevation of the ranks of deceased, and patience for the bereaved families.
Directing authorities to expedite relief efforts, the Prime Minister said that rescue and relief operations in the flood affected areas must be further accelerated and made more effective. He emphasized that timely and comprehensive assistance should be ensured for all displaced persons.
He also instructed that coordination and cooperation with provincial governments be further strengthened to enhance rescue and relief operations.
Highlighting the broader challenge, the Prime Minister said Pakistan continues to suffer from the harmful effects of climate change despite contributing negligibly to global greenhouse gas emissions. He noted that Pakistan remained among the most affected countries in the world due to climate change.
PM Shehbaz said the federal and provincial governments were jointly developing an effective strategy and comprehensive planning in vulnerable areas to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Measures were being taken to strengthen early warning systems, build resilient infrastructure, and further improve rescue and relief mechanisms, he added.