More than 30 people have died in rain-related incidents in Pakistan during days of heavy downpours, with thousands of schools closed, officials said Sunday.
Widespread heavy rain since Thursday has caused severe disruption in some areas of the country, including the closure of all schools in Balochistan province until Thursday.
Eighteen children were among 26 killed in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as a result of collapsed buildings.
“As a result of continuous rainfall over the past four days in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a total of 27 individuals have lost their lives,” said Taimur Ali Khan, the spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Another person was killed in a landslide and more than 150 houses were also damaged.
In southern Balochistan province, five people were killed when buildings collapsed on Thursday and Friday, said Jahanzain Khan, head of the disaster management agency.
Damaged roads, floods and landslides have cut villages off from main towns in Balochistan, while major roads were blocked in Gilgit-Baltistan, local media reported.
Pakistan’s Meteorological Department anticipates further rainfall and snowfall across the region on Sunday.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur announced on Sunday compensation package for the affected families due to rains in the province.
The chief minister has directed the relief secretary to compile reports on the affected and the damages incurred due to rains.
Detailed information about the life and property losses across the province should be collected, the CM added.
He announced relief cheques worth Rs1 million each for those whose loved ones died, Rs300,000 each for severely injured, and Rs50,000 each for those who received moderate injuries.
Financial compensation would also be provided for property damages caused by the rains.
CM Gandapur has instructed the divisional commissioners concerned to coordinate efforts and promptly provide relief to the affected people.
He directed that urgent medical assistance be provided to the wounded and called for restoring the roads that were blocked due to heavy snowfall and rain.
He emphasised that the provincial government “stands with the affected people during this difficult time and ensured that every possible assistance would be extended to them.”
Gandapur reaffirmed that no effort would be spared in providing support to those affected by the calamities in KP.
Pakistan Army, along with the collaboration of civil defence and the Frontier Works Organization, was engaged to rescue the stranded people and remove debris from the Karakoram Highway due to the land sliding.
The Karakoram Highway was blocked due to the three-day continuous rainfall-cum-land sliding.
On Saturday, people stuck in 20 vehicles were rescued by the Pakistan Army. The stranded people were offered edibles and medicines by the Gilgit Baltistan scouts.
A drone was also used to make the rescue operation more effective, according to a statement.
