Peshawar: At least 37 people were killed and several others injured as heavy rain lashed parts of Pakistan, leading to landslides that blocked roads and the collapse of buildings, Pakistani authorities said on Sunday. As many as 37 people have been injured in the torrential rains that hit ten districts, including Bajaur, Swat, Lower Dir, Malakand, Khyber, Peshawar, North, South Waziristan, and Lakki Marwat, of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in the past 48 hours. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister KPK Ali Amin Gandapur assured that those affected by rain-related incidents would not be abandoned by the authorities and would be duly compensated for the damages they sustained.

At least five people died in southwestern Balochistan province after floods swamped the coastal town of Gwadar, forcing authorities to use boats to evacuate people.

According to officials, heavy rainfall in Gwadar over the past two days disrupted normal life, rendering hundreds of people homeless.

Several dozens of human settlements and commercial establishments collapsed as flood water entered houses, while roads were badly affected.

Casualties and damage were also reported in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, the National Disaster Management Authority said, adding that five persons were killed in the region.

A spokesperson from the NDMA said emergency relief and heavy machinery were sent to the region to remove debris blocking highways.

The Karakoram Highway, which links Pakistan with China, was still blocked in some places due to landslides triggered by rain and snow, according to the spokesman for the northern Gilgit Baltistan region, Faizullah Faraq.

He said the snowfall was unusually heavy for this time of year.

Authorities advised tourists against travelling to the scenic north due to weather conditions. Last week, several visitors were stranded there because of heavy rains.

Pakistan this year has witnessed a delay in winter rains, which started in February instead of November. Monsoons as well as winter rains cause damage in Pakistan every year.

In 2022, unprecedented rainfall and flooding devastated many parts of Pakistan, killing more than 1,800 people, affecting around 33 million and displacing nearly eight million people. The disaster also caused billions of dollars in damage.

With inputs from PTI.