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92 killed in rain-triggered accidents in Pakistan

Xinhua, April 6, 2016 Adjust font size:

At least 92 people were killed and 77 others injured in separate rain-related accidents in northwestern Pakistan over the last five days, local media and officials said on Wednesday.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said 65 people were killed and 61 others injured in the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province as heavy rains caused more than 929 house collapse and landslides.

According to the authority, 17 people were killed in Shangla district, 14 including seven members of a family in Kohistan district, 13 in Swat district, six in Upper Dir district, two each in Bannu, Battagram, Chitral, Mardan and Lower Dir districts while one each in Malakand, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Peshawar and Charsadda districts.

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

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

The torrential rains and hailstorm in the province also caused massive losses to orchards and other standing crops.

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

In the country's north Gilgit Baltistan area, 15 people were killed, seven others injured and 173 houses collapsed due to torrential rains, said the NDMA.

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

The rains also triggered landslides which blocked Karakorum Highway between Gilgit and Chilas, stranding hundreds of passengers on the road.

Separately, in the northeast 12 people were killed, nine others injured and 107 houses collapsed in the heavy downpour.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in the accidents and asked the NDMA and other concerned authorities to ensure timely relief for the victims, including provision of proper medical care, food and shelter for the affected.

The NDMA has distributed 657 tents, 692 blankets, 36.1 tons of ration, 606 plastic mats, 4 tarpaulins and 25 kitchen sets among the rain affectees across the country.

Local meteorological office said that the spell of heavy rains in the country is over and a fresh spell is likely to hit the northwest areas next week. Enditem