Islamabad [Pakistan], October 2 (HBTV): The death toll from flash floods and torrential rains in Pakistan has risen to 1006, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Geo News reported.
As per NDMA data, the victims include 275 children, 163 women, and 568 men across the country. Rescue and restoration operations are underway to reach affected areas and assess the extent of devastation.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recorded the highest fatalities, with 504 people dead, including 90 children, 338 men, and 76 women. In Punjab, 304 people lost their lives, including 110 children, 143 men, and 51 women. Sindh reported 80 deaths, Gilgit-Baltistan 41, Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK) 38, and Balochistan 30.
The government has warned that the floods could disrupt supply chains and temporarily push up inflation, even as indicators of fiscal and industrial performance showed signs of improvement, Dawn reported.
In its Monthly Economic Update and Outlook for September 2025, the Ministry of Finance noted that the agriculture sector was likely to be severely impacted. ‘Due to ongoing floods in 2025, the agriculture sector is expected to suffer,’ the ministry said. ‘Flood-related disruptions may exert pressure on food supply chains, leading to an uptick in prices. As a result, inflation is expected to rise temporarily but remain contained within the 3.5-4.5 per cent range in September 2025,’ it added, according to Dawn.
Despite the challenges, the ministry highlighted positive signs in the economy. ‘The rebound in large-scale manufacturing, supported by encouraging trends in cement dispatches, automobile production, and allied industries, indicates strengthening industrial momentum in the months ahead,’ it stated.
The finance ministry further noted that the external sector was expected to remain stable, with the current account deficit projected to be manageable despite higher import demand. Strong remittance inflows and improving exports, alongside declining global commodity prices, were expected to ease pressure on the import bill.
The report concluded that the economy had ‘maintained its trajectory of stabilisation and growth during the first two months of the current fiscal year,’ pointing to moderating inflation, strengthening manufacturing, and contained fiscal imbalances despite the widespread floods since July 2025.
(ANI)