As many as 28 people were killed and more than 140 injured as heavy rain and thunderstorms hit several parts of Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab on Saturday, Pakistan-based Geo News reported.
As per the provincial disaster management authority, 25 people were killed in rain-related incidents in KP's Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Karak and Lakki Marwat while 145 were injured. It added that at least 69 houses were partially damaged by the rain, Geo News reported.
As per PDMA's breakdown, 15 people died and 100 were injured in Bannu. It also added that 68 houses were partially damaged in the area. Meanwhile, at least five people were killed and 42 others were wounded in the Lakki Marwat district.
Meanwhile, in Karak, four people died and one person was injured. In, Dera Ismail Khan a child died due to the rains, two people were injured and one house was partially damaged.
The Rescue 1122 official said that all stations of their Rescue 1122 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are on alert to deal with any untoward incident. He said relief activities continued as roof collapses due to heavy rain took place at many places in Lakki Marwat Bannu and other parts of the province.
According to the official, Rescue 1122's search and rescue operations are ongoing as all the injured people are being taken to the hospital for treatment after providing them medical aid on the site, Geo News reported.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Minister Barrister Feroze Jamal Shah said that a high alert had been issued in the hospitals of the affected districts. He said that the interim government was in contact with the authorities of the affected regions.
Meanwhile, heavy rains along with strong winds battered several regions of Punjab, including Sargodha, Gujranwala, Faisalabad and other districts. Three girls died after a wall of their house collapsed due to torrential rains in Chan village of the Khushab district of the province.
At least 10 people were injured due to rain-related incidents in Gujranwala district. Heavy rains and strong winds affected the electricity supply in various areas, as per the Geo News report.
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held telephonic conversation with Deputy Speaker National Assembly Zahid Akram Durrani and expressed regret over the loss of life and property in rain-related incidents, as per the Geo News report.
He said, "The people of Lakki Marwat will not be left alone in the hour of trouble," Geo News quoted his official statement. He instructed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief secretary and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to take urgent steps to deal with any untoward situation.
