16 die of harsh weather-related incidents in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: JAN. 8 – Incidents related to harsh weather across Pakistan have killed at least 16 people and injured several others since Friday evening, local media reported on Saturday.

Local media quoting official sources reported that a roof of a house collapsed due to heavy snowfall in the Dargudroo village of the Upper Dir district of northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, leaving five dead.

The deceased included a mother and her four children who were sleeping.

At least three people lost their lives in three different incidents of landslides in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa caused by rains that started earlier this week.

The eastern Punjab province also reported four deaths and five injuries in four different accidents that happened due to continuous rains in the districts of Gujranwala, Gujrat and Chiniot.

Heavy rainfalls also caused roof collapse incidents in different areas of southwest Balochistan province, leaving at least four people dead and over a dozen others wounded.

The torrential rains have reportedly damaged more than 500 houses in different areas of Balochistan, forcing hundreds to take shelter at safe places.

According to official figures, the torrential rains have affected over 10,000 people in 41 villages in different areas of the Gwadar and Kech districts of Balochistan during the past five days.

The rains have also cut off the road link to 22 villages and damaged 1,786 houses only in Gwadar district, added the official figures.

Earlier on Friday, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan sought a report from the Balochistan government on the damage caused by the recent rains and directed the National Disaster Management Authority to immediately provide relief to the affected people.

Troops of the Pakistan army, navy and paramilitary Frontier Corps have been shifting affected people to safe places with relief goods, added the reports.

-Xinhua