Over 30 killed as pre-monsoon rains lash large parts of Pakistan

Lahore/Peshawar: At least 34 persons, including 16 children, died and 46 injured in separate rain-related incidents over the last three days as heavy rains of pre-monsoon showers lashed across many regions of Pakistan, officials said Saturday.

At least 19 people were killed and six others injured over the last 48 hours in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province while 15 persons, including children, were killed and 40 injured in the last three days in Punjab province.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Peshawar, six men, five women, and eight children were killed across Swat, Abbottabad, Charsadda, Malakand, Shangla, Lower Dir, and Torghar districts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Among these, Swat, the worst-hit district, saw 13 deaths and six injuries.

As many as 17 members of a family from Sialkot that had gone for a picnic were swept along the Swat River due to a sudden surge in water level, officials said, adding, despite rescue efforts, several of them were carried off by the strong current, local media reports said.

A total of 56 houses were also damaged in rain-related incidents across the province, the officials said.

In Punjab province, 15 people, including eight children, died, and 40 others were injured in rain-related incidents during the last three days, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said in a statement.

Most of the cases in which people lost their lives involved wall and roof collapses in Lahore, Okara, Bahawalnagar, Jhelum, Gujrat, Faisalabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Sahiwal, Chiniot, Multan, Sheikhupura, and Nankana districts of the province, it said.

The PDMA said the first spell of pre-monsoon will continue till July 1 and predicted rainfall with strong winds and thunderstorms.

The Authority has also requested citizens to avoid non-essential travel during inclement weather conditions. It has also asked people not to live in dilapidated houses as far as possible; take care of the children and not let them go near the drains, electric wires, and poles, and generally beware of the flooded areas.

The PDMA has also directed district administrations to provide immediate relief to affected families and ensure proper medical care for the injured.

Meanwhile, light to moderate rains in various parts of Karachi and nearby areas early Saturday morning brought relief to the residents after a prolonged period of hot weather in the port city.