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65 killed in rain-triggered accidents in Pakistan

Xinhua, April 4, 2016 Adjust font size:

At least 65 people were killed and dozens of others injured in separate rain-related accidents in Pakistan's northern Gilgit Baltistan area, northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province and northeastern Kashmir region over the past three days, local media and officials said Monday.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority of KPK said 47 people were killed and 37 others injured in the province as heavy rains caused more than 141 incidents of house collapse and several incidents of land sliding.

According to the authority, 14 people were killed in Shangla district, 12 including seven members of a family in Kohistan district, eight in Swat district, two each in Bannu, Battagram, Chitral, Mardan and Upper Dir districts while one each in Malakand, Mansehra and Charsadda districts.

Over 70 shops near in provincial capital of Peshawar were washed away due to flooding in the city's Bara river, while several others were partially damaged.

A number of bridges and roads were also swept away by flood water in different parts of the province, disrupting traffic.

The torrential rains and hailstorm in various areas of the province also caused serious losses to orchards and other standing crops.

The chief minister of the KPK government Pervez Khattak directed concerned authorities to take necessary steps for the rehabilitation of the rain-affected people.

At least 10 people were killed and a dozen of others injured when the torrential rains lashed the Gilgit Baltistan area, local Urdu TV channel Express News reported.

The regional government declared a state of emergency and directed the administration to help the affected people.

The rains also triggered off heavy landsliding which blocked Karakorum Highway between Gilgit and Chilas from various places, stranding hundreds of passengers on the road.

Separately, in Kashmir, eight members of a family were killed when their house collapsed due to land sliding.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Sunday expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in the accidents and directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and other concerned authorities to ensure timely relief activities for the victims, including provision of proper medical care, food and shelter for the affected, a press release from the PM Office said.

Local authorities said the recent spell of rain has come to an end and dry weather is expected in most parts of the country from Monday night. Enditem