Fatal monsoon rains kill over 300 in Pakistan

xiii killed in Lahore, eight in AJK, including iii soldiers; farther downpour and thunderstorms expected

LAHORE: More than xl people have been killed as a result of heavy monsoon rains beyond Islamic republic of pakistan, officials said on Th.

Most of the deaths were acquired past roof collapses in buildings in Punjab, with 13 people killed in the provincial upper-case letter Lahore.

Meanwhile, 8 lives have been claimed in various areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK). Regime warned more than intense rainfall and flash floods could be imminent.

"At least 25 people accept been killed in different incidents of roof collapses in Punjab province during the last 24 hours," Jam Sajjad, a spokesman for rescue services told AFP.

He said the expressionless included women and children, and 28 people had been injured.

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has announced Rs0.5 meg for each of the deceased and Rs0.1 million for each of the injured.

Electricity and transport systems in the city have also been badly affected because of the rain. Around 170 millimeters of pelting has already been recorded in Lahore.

Rizwan Naseer, the director general of rescue services in Punjab confirmed the toll and said the injured were being moved to hospitals.

"Nosotros accept been removing the debris to search for survivors and the injured," Naseer said, adding that the toll was probable to ascension as more than information came in from around the province.

Azad Kashmir

In Azad Kashmir, eight people were killed, disaster management agency chairman Akram Sohail told AFP.

He said there had been some flash flooding in the Himalayan territory and warned that the rivers Jhelum and Neelum were close to overflowing in some places.

The eight victims included iii soldier, who died in a mudslide near the de facto border with India.

According to an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release, iii soldiers, including an officer, were killed and three others were injured Thursday night due to a mudslide in Kailer Sector near Bagh on the Line of Control (LoC).

The law recovered the bodies of the army men from the rubble and identified them every bit officer, Captain Fazl, Sulaiman and Ghulam Mohideen.

In the aforementioned expanse, a civilian was swept abroad past currents of the flooding stream. The land links of district Havayli remained cut off from the balance of the land while the master streams of the district flow above the danger marking.

A 9th course female pupil from Bagh and a 4th grade pupil Haris were also swept abroad. No bodies were recovered till the filing of this written report.

In district Kotli, a seventy-twelvemonth-old adult female was killed every bit the roof of her house collapsed on Thursday morning.

According to the constabulary, Shahad Begum in village Tayain Khoiratta Kotli, was buried nether the rubble when the roof of her business firm collapsed due to heavy rains, killing her on the spot.

Meanwhile, in village Kalwaal Draaiyan district Bhimber a man lost his life as the roof of his house complanate on Th dark.

Water levels in River Jehlum, Neelum and Kunhar take been gradually increasing for the by 24 hours.

A flood warning has not been issued in the area. Notwithstanding, the district administrations of Muzaffarabad, Neelum and Hattian Balla have alerted residents living shut to the rivers.

The meteorological office warned that more heavy rain and thunderstorms were expected in Punjab and the n of the state in the coming 72 hours and could cause flooding in major rivers.

Islamic republic of pakistan has suffered deadly monsoon floods for at least the last four years -- in 2013, 178 people were killed and around 1.5 one thousand thousand affected -- by flooding around the country.

The government has been criticised for not doing more to mitigate against the dangers posed by seasonal rains washing away homes and farmland.

The National Disaster Management Dominance (NDMA) has issued an "uncommonly loftier flood level warning" as heavy rains are expected in rivers of Punjab, including Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum and Sutlej along with their associated tributaries during the next 48 hours, Radio Pakistan reported.

Overflowing warning

According to the NDMA, an uncommonly high flood level is also expected at Marala and its downstream areas on Thursday nighttime.

The written report added that the current weather system had a potential of heavy rainfall in northeast Punjab, including the cities of Gujranwala, Lahore, Rawalpindi divisions and Kashmir and adjoining areas during the next 24 to 36 hours. This may crusade overflowing situation in rivers of Punjab and its tributaries.

According to the flood report available with the Overflowing Alert Center in Lahore on Thursday evening, the Chenab River is flowing in a high flood with an inflow of 285,116 cusecs and outflow of 280,116 cusecs of water.

The water level at this point is increasing. This river is flowing in a medium alluvion at Khanki and Qadirabad while the water level is increasing at both these points.

The Jhelum River is flowing in a very high flood with an inflow of 42,040 and outflow of fourteen,240 cusecs of h2o at Mangla, where the water level is increasing.

Meanwhile, the Flood Warning Eye has forecast that the Chenab River at Marala is probable to attain a high to very high overflowing level by 10am on Fri, at Khanki between 2am and 10pm on Fri and at Qadirabad from 8am tomorrow to 4am on Sat.

All the concerned departments, districts and people accept been warned to accept necessary precautionary measures so equally to avoid any possible losses of the human lives, cattle or properties.

Army dispatches troops for relief efforts

According to Inter Services Public Relations, army troops take been dispatched to the flood affected areas for relief duties, Express News reported.

Troops have been sent to Sialkot, Narowal, Wazirabad, Headmarala and Jalalpur Jattan to accept part in inundation relief activities.

ISPR farther said the troops in Shahdara take also been put on alert.

Amid fear of floods, Army has been called in to Rawalpindi and divers of 111 Brigade along with rescues boats have reached slum areas.

@CMShehbaz monitored situation arising due ii heavy rains in diff. areas of Punjab.. Likewise paid surprise visit in LHR! picture.twitter.com/cupQ37ONfr
— Punjab 2013-18 (@Punjab13to18) September four, 2014