Heavy rains, hailstorms kill 10 in northwestern Pakistan

KARACHI, Pakistan

At least 10 people were killed and a dozen others injured in incidents caused by heavy rains coupled with hailstorms that battered northwestern Pakistan over the last two days, officials said on Sunday.

The casualties, including children and women, were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which has been experiencing heavy rains since Friday, Anwar Shahzad, a spokesman for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority told reporters.

Among the dead were eight children and two women who lost their lives in several rain-related incidents across the province, mostly involving roofs and walls collapsed.

Over two dozen houses were also damaged, while different sections of the Karakoram Highway, which connects Pakistan to neighboring China, were blocked due to heavy rains.

Authorities have issued advisories urging residents to exercise caution when travelling, particularly in areas that have received heavy rain and snowfall.