39 killed as flash floods, thunderstorms lash Pakistan

39 killed as flash floods, thunderstorms lash Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Massive thunderstorms lashed several parts of Pakistan, including Punjab and Sindh provinces, killing at least 39 people and injuring 135 others, officials said on Tuesday.
Heavy rain and storm caused by a westerly wave uprooted electricity poles and trees in different parts of the country and also damaged properties on Monday.
While, 13 people were killed in Khyber-Pakhtukhwa, 11 died in Balochistan, 10 in Punjab and 5 in Sindh, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said.
As many as 80 houses were also destroyed as flash floods and thunderstorms lashed the country, it said.

According to a Dawn report, intermittent downpour in western, central and northern parts of the country for the past few days has rendered mud houses susceptible to the collapse, while landslide and flash floods in some areas have already made several roads dangerous for travel.
Thunderstorm in Punjab province resulted in the collapse of several buildings, killing at least 10 persons, including two women.

Four deaths were reported in Khanewal district; three in Hasilpur area of Bahawalnagar district; and two Dunyapur tehsil of Lodhran district. Another death was reported from the province.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province’s Chitral valley, a woman and two men died when the roof of their house collapsed and fell on them. Ten other died in various parts of the province.
In Balochistan province, authorities declared emergency on Monday after torrential rains and flash flooding wreaked havoc and killed at least nine persons, including a child.
On Tuesday, at least three people, including two children, were killed in flash floods in different areas of Balochistan, Levis sources said.

Heavy rainfall in Quetta, Gwadar, Chagai, Harnai, Duki, Jewani, Jaffarabad, Kohlu, Sibi, Barkhan, Chaman and other districts of Balochistan caused flooding in nullahs and drains which severed land link in various parts of the province, the Express Tribune reported.
The low-lying areas had been submerged due to continuous rainfall in Kohlu and adjoining areas.

In separate incidents related to the dust storm that hit Karachi, four persons, including two young girls died, an equal number of fishermen went missing and dozens of others suffered injuries, according to officials and rescue services.
Gusty winds also uprooted several trees, poles and signboards, broke windowpanes of some high-rise buildings and damaged the walls of schools and homes in Karachi. PTI