A series of dangerous meteorological episodes, which has only just begun. Heavy rains accompanied by strong winds have killed at least 27 people including eight children in northwest Pakistan, with most deaths due to collapsing buildings, local authorities said on Sunday (June 11th).
“At least 12 people were buried after the roofs and walls of their houses collapsed”said Taimur Ali Khan, spokesman for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).
Fifteen people were killed in Bannu district, including five siblings between the ages of 2 and 11. More than 140 others were injured, and more than 200 farm animals died, the spokesman said.
Emergency state
Bad weather affected four districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province late Saturday, and authorities there declared a state of emergency. The authorities have also announced that a cyclone is approaching Pakistan and India from the Arabian Sea.
A statement from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority of Sindh Province warned of very heavy rainfall and winds of up to 100 km/h to be expected during the coming week. “Fishermen are advised not to venture into the high seas” until the end of this weather event “by June 17”the statement said.
In the summer of last year, Pakistan experienced unprecedented monsoon rains that killed more than 1,700 people, flooded a third of the country and damaged two million homes.