ISLAMABAD: At least 14 people were killed and several others wounded in incidents related to heavy rains in Pakistan’s Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in the last 24 hours, provincial authorities and local media reported on Saturday.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) earlier this week predicted heavy rains and snowfall across the South Asian country.
A strong westerly wave entered Pakistan’s western and upper parts earlier this week, producing rain and snowfall. It was forecast to grip the areas until Sunday.
Over a dozen people, including children, were killed as torrential rains damaged multiple houses in Punjab’s Gujranwala and Kasur, and Upper Dir, Peshawar, Charsadda and other parts of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Six people were killed and 13 others wounded in different [rain-related] incidents,” the KP Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said in a statement.
“The downpours partially damaged eight houses in the province,” it said, adding that relief goods were distributed among the affected people in Charsadda and Upper Dir.
In Punjab’s Gujranwala district, two children were killed and their father and another child injured after the roof of their house collapsed due to rain, the Express Tribune reported.
In Kasur district, six people were killed and 10 others wounded in similar incidents.
Late Friday, the South Asian nation met with a calamity as 22 stranded tourists froze to death in their vehicles during a snowstorm in Murree, 64 km (40 miles) northeast of the capital Islamabad.
Rescue efforts to get people and vehicles out of the resort town were still ongoing on Saturday evening.
14 killed as rains wreak havoc in Pakistan’s Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces
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14 killed as rains wreak havoc in Pakistan’s Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces
- Roofs of multiple houses collapsed in Gujranwala, Kasur, Upper Dir, Peshawar and Charsadda
- Late Friday, Pakistan met with a calamity as 22 tourists froze to death during a snowstorm in Murree
Pakistani special aircraft carrying 100 tons of relief supplies for Gaza arrives in Egypt
- Relief consignment contains tents, tarpaulin sheets and jerry cans, says state media
- Israel has killed over 69,000 Palestinians in Gaza in its war that began in October 2023
Islamabad: A special chartered aircraft from Pakistan carrying 100 tons of humanitarian and relief supplies for the people of Gaza landed at the El Arish International Airport in Egypt on Tuesday, Pakistani state media reported.
The aircraft was dispatched by Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), in collaboration with local charity organization Al-Khidmat Foundation, from the eastern city of Lahore on Tuesday.
“The relief consignment includes non-food items consisting much-needed tents, tarpaulin sheets and jerry cans,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported.
The aid supplies were handed over to the Egyptian Red Crescent Society to be dispatched onwards to the people of Gaza.
“The Government and people of Pakistan are profoundly thankful to the Egyptian government under the leadership of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and Egyptian Red Crescent Society for facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance from the Government and people of Pakistan for the Palestinian brethren,” Radio Pakistan added.
“More humanitarian and relief consignments are on their way and will be delivered to the brotherly people of Gaza during coming weeks,” the state media said.
Pakistan has sent relief items for Palestinians since Israel’s war on Gaza began in October 2023. At least 69,000 Palestinians were killed in Gaza during the almost two years of war that began in October 2023.
Israeli forces bombed schools, hospitals and educational institutions during the war, killing a large number of women and children.
Israel also blocked humanitarian and relief supplies from reaching Gaza, causing hunger and diseases to spread across the densely populated territory before a fragile ceasefire was brokered by the US this year.
