ISLAMABAD, Apr 20 (NNN-APP) – At least 87 people have been killed and 82 others injured, in separate rain-triggered incidents in Pakistan, over the past week, as heavy downpours continued to wreak havoc in parts of the country, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said, yesterday.
The NDMA said, the rains have partially or fully damaged 2,715 houses across the country, adding that, most of the people died in incidents related to structural collapse, lightning strike and flash flood.
Most of the damages and casualties were reported from the country’s north-western Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, where 36 people lost their lives and 53 others sustained injuries, followed by the eastern Punjab province, which has reported 25 deaths and eight injuries, according to the NDMA.
A total of 15 people were killed and 10 others injured in the south-western Balochistan province, whereas 11 people died with 11 others injured due to heavy rains in the Pakistan-controlled Kashmir during the period, said the NDMA.
Pakistani Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif expressed deep grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives and property, due to the recent heavy rains, advising the concerned departments to speed up relief activities in the affected areas, and expedite work for opening roads that have been closed due to rains and land slide.
Earlier, in its weather prediction report yesterday, the NDMA forecasted that the ongoing rains would continue until Apr 22, saying, the expected rainfall may trigger flash floods in several areas of the country.– NNN-APP
