ISLAMABAD, Aug 5: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Monday that at least 58 people had died in floods across the country since Aug 1 and added that it feared the death toll could rise. At least 30 people have been injured and over 66,000 affected.

According to NDMA’s manager (operations) Brig Kamran Zia, 25 people have been killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), eight in Sindh, 10 in Balochistan and 15 in Punjab in flood and rain-related incidents.

“Poor drainage system was the main reason for floods in urban areas of the country. Drains were choked and water entered residential areas. But fortunately there is no major outbreak of diseases,” he told reporters.

He said heavy rains were recorded in Rajanpur, Shikarpur, Larkana, Jhal Magsi, Naseerabad, Peshawar, Chitral and North Waziristan. “Although intensity of the monsoon spell has declined, more rain is expected in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, southern Punjab and Kashmir over the next few days.” Minister of State for Telecom and Information Technology Anusha Rehman told reporters that the government would take effective steps to solve problems of the people affected by floods. “The government has directed the NDMA to start preparations for September because the Pakistan Metrological Department has predicted more rains,” she said.

Answering a question, she said the district government in Karachi had failed to address the issue of flooding.

NDMA chairman Maj Gen Mohammad Saeed Aleem said natural disasters could not be prevented but the authority was trying to minimise losses. “We had started preparations in March and provided camps and supplied edible items to the flood-affected areas. Over 1,000 people have been rescued and shifted to safe places. We have enough resources and there is no need to mobilise international donors,” he said.

Met Office director general Arif Mahmood said that rain in July was 30 per cent less than usual this time, but his office had forecast that it would be above normal. He said more rain was likely in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and upper Punjab over the next few days.

AFP adds: NDMA official Brig Kamran Zia said floods were receding and people were returning to their homes, but warned that more rain than usual was expected this month and next.

NDMA chief Maj Gen Aleem said the recurring flooding was the result of global climate change. “Unexpected rains are global climatic change phenomena, but we can prepare and plan ahead to mitigate the disaster.”

Authorities in Karachi said it would take more than two days to clear up after the water flooded markets, buildings and houses and blocked roads.

Hundreds of cars were half-submerged after poor sewerage and drainage systems became blocked due to garbage.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, homes were swept away.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sent three federal ministers to provinces to inspect damage in flood-hit areas.

Pakistan has suffered devastating monsoon floods for three years, including the worst in its history in 2010 when catastrophic inundations killed almost 1,800 people and affected 21 million.