Torrential rains kill 17, destroy homes in northern Pakistan

Peshawar: Torrential monsoon rains and mudslides hit areas in northwestern Pakistan early on Sunday, destroying homes and killing at least 17 people, police said.

Officer Mohammad Nawaz said eleven bodies were recovered from the debris of mud and brick houses in the Tor Ghar district, and rescuers were searching for the remaining victims, which included women and children.

Nawaz said three adjacent homes were completely swept away in remote village of the district, while other houses were less affected. Authorities in the city of Abbottabad said a mudslide in the suburbs also killed a couple and their child, and injured three others.

The country’s disaster management authorities said they were dispatching relief aid to the affected area but mudslides in mountainous areas were delaying delivery. Efforts were underway to clear the roads.

Monsoon season lasts until mid-September in Pakistan, and similar incidents are not uncommon.