Children among 20 killed as heavy rain wreaks havoc in Pakistan

Heavy rains in northwest Pakistan caused scores of mud houses to collapse, killing at least 17 people, mostly children, and injuring over 30 others, a disaster management official said Saturday.

Heavy rains have lashed stretches of the country near the Afghan border since Thursday.

Fourteen children and three women were killed in "rain-related incidents" in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, local relief official Taimur Ali said.

Taimur said at least 49 houses were partly or fully destroyed by heavy rains and thunderstorms that started on Wednesday.

He said relief goods have been dispatched to the affected districts and distributed to affected residents.

Taimur said the Charsadda, Nowshera and Mardan districts were the most affected and financial compensation was also provided.

The National Disaster Management Authority confirmed those deaths, adding that three more people had died in southwest Balochistan province.

In the worst single incident, five children were killed when the roof of their home collapsed in northern Dargai town.

Rain also damaged another 51 houses and snowfall blocked several roads in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, officials said.

More harsh weather is expected in the coming days.

Many poorly built homes across the country — particularly in rural areas — are at risk of collapse during the annual spring rains.

Heavy rains and thunderstorms caused heavy damage every year in mountainous northwestern Pakistan, where in most areas many people build mud and brick houses.

Torrential downpours, avalanches, flooding and harsh winter weather killed more than 130 people across Pakistan and Afghanistan in January.

Agencies