Relentless floods have claimed the lives of more than 170 people in eastern Pakistan, about half of them children, in the latest catastrophe that underscores the country’s vulnerability to the escalating climate crisis.

Relentless rain began on Wednesday, causing flooding in several cities and across vast rural stretches in the province of Punjab.

A powerful southwest monsoon system, combined with a westerly wave, has triggered widespread flood alerts across Pakistan from July 19 to 25. The National Emergencies Operation Center (NEOC) has warned of flash floods,