Pakistan: 17 killed and over 100 injured as heavy rains wreak havoc in northern districts

At least 17 people were killed and over a hundred were injured after torrential monsoon rains and mudslides hit areas in northwestern Pakistan early on Sunday. According to Associated Press (AP), as many as eleven bodies were recovered from the debris of mud and brick houses in the Tor Ghar district. While speaking to the news agency, police officer Mohammad Nawaz confirmed the reports of the eleven dead bodies that were recovered from the debris in the Northern Pakistan area. Further, the officer said that the rescuers were searching for the remaining victims including women and children.

According to him, three adjacent homes were completely swept away in a remote village of the district, while other houses were less affected. The authorities also confirmed the media reports which claimed a mudslide in the suburbs of Abbottabad killed a couple and their child. Meanwhile, Pakistan disaster management authorities stated that several rescue teams were dispatched to the affected areas but mudslides in mountainous areas were delaying delivery. Also, the roads which were closed due to mudslides were opened within 24 hours, added the disaster management authorities.

The current situation in Pakistan is quite common in this season

The authorities informed the torrential rains caused flash floods, road blockades and causalities in many areas, including Lower Dir, Shangla, Chitral, and Mardan districts. The Karakoram Highway, which was blocked at many places due to heavy landslides, was reopened to traffic after many hours. However, the passengers travelling between Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remained stranded for many hours. It is worth mentioning that the monsoon season in Pakistan lasts until mid-September and the current situation in the country is quite common in this season. 

Earlier in July this year, at least 15 people were killed and 26 others suffered injuries in separate rain-related incidents during a recent spell of heavy downpour in Pakistan's northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. According to the disaster authority, the majority of casualties happened due to roof collapsing and flash floods incidents in Kohat and Lower Dir districts of the province.
In a similar incident, heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan killed at least 161 people while 137 people sustained injuries in the country in 2019.

(With inputs from AP)

(Image: ANI)