Heavy winter rains in Pakistan kill at least 29 people, collapse buildings and trigger landslides
Heavy rains that swept across Pakistan have left at least 29 people dead and 50 others injured, collapsed houses and triggered landslides that blocked roads, particularly in the northwest, authorities said Sunday.
About 23 rain-related deaths were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan since Thursday night, the provincial disaster management authority said.
Five people died in southwestern Baluchistan province after floods swamped the coastal town of Gwadar, forcing authorities to use boats to evacuate people.
Casualties and damage were also reported in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the National Disaster Management Authority said.
Authorities were sending emergency relief and heavy machinery to remove debris blocking highways, the agency added.
The country's 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 traveling 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. Monsoon and winter rains cause damage in Pakistan every year.
In 2022, unprecedented rainfall and flooding devastated many parts
