Islamabad - KUNA
The heavy monsoon rains across Pakistan has claimed at least 44 lives and wounded many people in different parts of the country including seven in southwestern province Balochistan, twenty in southern province Sindh and seventeen in northern province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to the provincial Information Secretary Qamar Masood, at least seven people were killed by rain related incidents in different areas of southwestern Pakistani province Balochistan on Sunday. The torrential rains played havoc in Jhal Magsi, Hub, Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Sibi, Bolan, and other parts of the province, with several houses collapsing under the downpour. The wall of a factory fell in the Hub town of Balochistan killing at least five people including three children while a person lost his life in Jhal Magsi area due to rain related accidents. Two persons died of drowning in a stream in Loralai area of the province raising the number of deaths in the province to seven. Heavy rains causing electricutions and similar incidents claimed twenty lives in southern Pakistani province with eleven life losses in Karachi city alone. According to police and rescue officials, three people died from electricution in Paposh Nagar and Liaquatabad areas, a person lost his life in Model Colony, three children were killed of drowning in storm-water drain in Korangi area and North Nazimabad where a three year old kid died of roof collapse. Three more people were killed in Malir Town, Defence morh area of the electrocution related incidents. The rain also struck different cities in interior Sindh and heavy rainfall claimed at least two lives in Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts of Sindh. Meanwhile, torrential downpour also paralysed civic life in Hyderabad, inundating several areas and flooding all main roads. Division Commissioner Jamal Mustafa Syed has declared rain emergency in all districts of Hyderabad. Earlier, at least thirteen people including five children lost their lives on Saturday as the flood strikes the northern Pakistani region after heavy rains. According to rescue officials, three kids were drowned in Chighor Nullah area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province of northern Pakistan on Friday. Moreover, two young girls were killed in flash floods in Buhni Nullah area where two people were killed in Chitral area of the KPK province. According to local media reports, three people were killed as flash floods washed away a car while crossing a causeway in Bagh district of Pakistan side Kashmir while another man drowned in a nearby village. It was further reported that two young men drowned in floodwater in the village of Hajira near Rawalakot district of Kashmir. The Prime Minister Mohammed Nawaz Sharif expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of lives and property in rain related incidents in the country. He has directed all departments and agencies concerned to remain in touch with the provincial governments and mobilize their services on emergency basis to extend help to those affected.