PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Pakistani authorities said Sunday at least 29 people died and 50 others injured due to heavy rains that swept across the country in the past 48 hours, causing several houses to collapse and landslides to block roads, particularly in the northwest.
This comes as Pakistan is also witnessing severe snowfall.
About 23 rain-related deaths were reported in various areas in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan since Thursday night, the provincial disaster management authority said in a statement.
Five people died in the southwestern Baluchistan province after the coastal town of Gwadar got flooded, forcing authorities to use boats to evacuate people.
Casualties and damages were also reported in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the National Disaster Management Authority said in a separate statement.
Emergency relief was being provided to people in affected areas and heavy machinery used to remove debris blocking highways, the agency added.
The country’s Karakoram Highway which links Pakistan with China is still blocked in some places due to landslides, according to the spokesman for the northern Gilgit Baltistan region, Faizullah Faraq.
Authorities advised tourists against traveling to the scenic north due to weather conditions. Last week, several visitors were stranded there because of the heavy rains.
This year, Pakistan is witnessing an unusual delay in winter rains, starting in February instead of November.
Monsoon and winter rains cause damage in Pakistan every year.
In 2022, climate-induced unusual monsoon rains and flooding devastated most of the areas in impoverished Pakistan, killing more than 1,739 people, affecting around 33 million people and displacing nearly 8 million. The rains and floods in 2022 also caused billions of dollars of damages to the country’s economy and some of the areas people who lost their homes are still living in makeshift homes.
Heavy winter rains have wreaked havoc in Pakistan, claiming the lives of 29 people in various incidents of building collapses and road blockages from landslides. The country has been experiencing unusually intense rainfall in recent weeks, leading to widespread destruction and loss of life.
The most affected areas include the northern regions of Pakistan, where the mountainous terrain is particularly vulnerable to landslides and flash floods during heavy rains. In one tragic incident, a building collapsed in the city of Rawalpindi, killing several people who were trapped under the rubble. In another incident, a landslide blocked a major highway, leading to multiple fatalities as vehicles were swept away by the rushing waters.
The Pakistani government has been working tirelessly to provide relief and assistance to the affected communities. Rescue teams have been deployed to the affected areas to search for survivors and provide medical aid to those in need. The military has also been mobilized to help with rescue and relief efforts, using helicopters to reach remote areas that are inaccessible by road.
The heavy rains have also caused widespread damage to infrastructure, with roads and bridges being washed away by the floodwaters. This has further hampered rescue and relief efforts, making it difficult for aid workers to reach those in need.
The recent spate of extreme weather events in Pakistan is a stark reminder of the urgent need for better disaster preparedness and response mechanisms in the country. Climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, making it imperative for governments to invest in infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather events.
As Pakistan mourns the loss of those who perished in these tragic incidents, it is crucial for the government and international community to come together to provide support and assistance to those affected by the heavy winter rains. Only through collective action and cooperation can we hope to mitigate the impact of natural disasters and protect vulnerable communities from future calamities.
