Pakistan has witnessed its wettest April since 1961, with rainfall levels soaring to over twice the usual amount, according to the national weather center.
The intense downpours brought days of extreme weather, resulting in numerous fatalities and extensive damage to property and farmland. Experts attribute this unusual surge in rainfall to the effects of climate change.
Last month's rainfall in Pakistan marked a staggering 164-percent increase compared to the average levels for April, as reported on Friday by the national weather center.
The northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan provinces were the hardest hit, experiencing the most severe impacts of the heavy rains.
This year's extreme weather echoes the devastating summer floods of 2022, which claimed at least 1,700 lives, obliterated millions of homes, devastated farmland, and caused billions of dollars in economic losses within just a few months. During those floods, up to a third of the country was submerged underwater.
Pakistani leaders, alongside scientists worldwide, have pointed to climate change as the primary cause behind the unusually early and intense monsoon rains, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable solutions to mitigate such extreme weather events.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
