29 people killed, 50 injured due to heavy rain in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: At least 29 people have died and 50 others have been injured as heavy rains lashed across Pakistan over the past 48 hours, the country’s officials told media on Sunday.

Officials said several houses collapsed and roads were blocked by rain-triggered landslides, especially in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, Xinhua news agency reported. It said around 23 people have died in rain-related incidents in KP since Thursday night, while five people have died due to floods in south-western Balochistan province.

Five people died after floods hit the coastal city of Gwadar in southwestern Balochistan province, prompting authorities to use boats to evacuate about 10,000 people. The National Disaster Management Authority said emergency relief was being provided to people in the affected areas and heavy machines had been deployed to clear debris blocking highways, Al Jazeera reported.

According to Faizullah Faraq, spokesman for the northern Gilgit Baltistan region, the landslide has blocked the country’s Karakoram Highway, which connects Pakistan to China. According to the United Nations, Pakistan is one of the 10 most vulnerable countries to climate change, despite the South Asian country contributing almost zero to global carbon emissions.