Official: Rain, floods kill 45 in northwest Pakistan

Pakistani villagers stand outside their homes during flash flooding on the outskirts of Peshawar, Pakistan, Sunday, April 3, 2016. A Pakistani national disaster management official says flash floods triggered by torrential rains have killed dozens of people in the country's northwest. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad) Pakistani villagers stand outside their homes during flash flooding on the outskirts of Peshawar, Pakistan, Sunday, April 3, 2016. A Pakistani national disaster management official says flash floods triggered by torrential rains have killed dozens of people in the country's northwest. (AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad)

By Associated Press April 3, 2016 1 min read

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) – Flash floods triggered by torrential rains Sunday killed at least 45 people in northwest Pakistan, officials said.

Rains started overnight Saturday and caused flash flooding in several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said a Pakistani national disaster management official, Latif ur Rehman.

Another 34 people were admitted to hospitals with injuries, he said.

Flash floods are commonly triggered during South Asia’s summer monsoon season. Pre-monsoon rains like the current downpour frequently cause damage in Pakistan – particularly in rural villages with minimal infrastructure.

Residents of scores of villages close to rivers were given warnings to vacate and leave for safer places, Rehman said.