The Pakistan government on Thursday declared a national emergency as the toll due to floods rose to 937 persons, including 343 children, The Dawn reported. Around three crore residents have been left without shelter.

The Sindh province has recorded the highest number of fatalities, with 306 persons dying since June 14 due to rain-related incidents, according to the country’s national disaster management authority. Balochistan has reported 234 fatalities, followed by 185 deaths in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 165 in the Punjab province.

In August, Pakistan received 166.8 millimetres of rain while the average downpour for the month is 48 millimetres, according to the national disaster management authority. The rains have resulted in flash floods across the country, and the southern parts of Pakistan remain inundated, according to The Dawn.

Twenty-three districts of the Sindh province have been declared “calamity-hit”.

According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, widespread thunderstorm and heavy rainfall is predicted at isolated places over Sindh and Eastern Balochistan on Friday.

Under the influence of a well-marked low-pressure over East Rajasthan in India, thundershowers are expected in Sindh, south Punjab, south and northeastern Balochistan, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan.

Flash floods are predicted in Qilla Saifullah, Quetta, Ziarat, Harnai, Pishin, Loralai, Barkhan, Kohlu, Dera Bugti, Jhal Magsi, Mosa Khel, Zhob, Sherani, Sibbi, Naseerabad, Bolan, Awaran, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbella and hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan on Friday.

Landslides are also expected in some areas such as Kashmir, hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Galiyat, Murree, Chillas, Diamir, Gilgit, Hunza, Astore, Ghizer and Skardu, the weather office said.

On Friday, the under construction Mohmand dam in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province overflowed and visuals showed a barrage of water flowing dangerously close to residential areas.

Pakistan’s Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman told The Dawn that a war room has been set up by the prime minister at the national disaster management authority to carry out relief operations across the country.

“Pakistan is going through its eighth cycle of monsoon; normally the country has only three to four cycles of [monsoon] rain,” the minister said at a press conference. “Pakistan is under an unprecedented monsoon spell and data suggests the possibility of re-emergence of another cycle in September.”

Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb has appealed to Pakistani citizens living in other countries to help the country.

“The entire nation, especially the overseas Pakistanis, should donate generously to help the flood victims as a huge amount of money would be required for their rehabilitation in the wake of large-scale disaster,” she said.