Torrential rains wreak havoc across Pakistan 37 dead, dozens injured

Unrelenting rains have unleashed a wave of devastation across Pakistan over the past 48 hours, claiming the lives of at least 37 people in rain-related incidents, according to authorities.

The torrential downpours led to house collapses, landslides, and flooding, particularly in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province, Caliber.Az reports, citing Indian media.

In KPK, at least 27 people, predominantly children, lost their lives in rain-related incidents near the Afghanistan border since Thursday night, as reported by the provincial disaster management authority. The downpours have left 37 others injured in ten districts, including Bajaur, Swat, Lower Dir, Malakand, Khyber, Peshawar, North and South Waziristan, and Lakki Marwat.

KPK Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur assured that those affected by the rains would receive compensation for their losses. Meanwhile, southwestern Balochistan witnessed at least five casualties after floods inundated Gwadar, compelling authorities to employ boats for evacuations. Heavy rainfall disrupted normal life, rendering hundreds homeless and causing structural collapses.

In Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, five individuals lost their lives, prompting the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to dispatch emergency relief and heavy machinery to clear blocked highways. The Karakoram Highway, linking Pakistan with China, remained obstructed due to rain and snow-induced landslides, according to the northern Gilgit Baltistan region's spokesperson, Faizullah Faraq.

The delay in winter rains this year, starting in February instead of November, has contributed to the severity of the situation. Authorities have cautioned against travel to the scenic north, emphasizing the challenging weather conditions. In 2022, Pakistan faced unprecedented rainfall and flooding, resulting in widespread devastation, claiming over 1,800 lives, affecting 33 million people, and displacing nearly eight million. The disaster incurred billions of dollars in damages, underscoring the recurrent threat posed by monsoons and winter rains in the region.