Floods in Pakistan Kill 200 Children, Threaten Education for Millions

Floods in Pakistan Kill 200 Children, Threaten Education for Millions
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More than 200 children have died and millions more are facing disrupted education as torrential monsoon rains cause widespread flooding across Pakistan, Releifweb.int revealed citing a report from Save the Children. The ongoing monsoon season has been particularly severe, with some areas, like Sialkot, experiencing record-breaking rainfall.

The flooding has displaced over 200,000 people and has affected approximately 1 million nationwide. In Punjab, the country’s most populous province, an estimated 25 million children have been unable to return to school since the end of their summer break.

In the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, flash floods caused by “cloudbursts”—a rare weather event involving more than 100mm of rain in a concentrated area within an hour—have killed at least 479 people and destroyed or damaged 674 schools.

Save the Children’s Programme Operations Manager, Rabia Rauf, described the devastation, stating that flash floods destroyed everything in an instant, leaving children traumatized and homes filled with silt and sludge. The organization is providing temporary learning spaces and psychological support to affected children.

The report also highlights the disproportionate impact of the climate crisis on children in low- and middle-income countries like Pakistan, despite their minimal contribution to global warming. The death toll this year is three times higher than the same period last year, with the total number of fatalities since June exceeding 800.