Several killed as massive rains lash southwestern Pakistan

About a third of Pakistan was affected by flooding last year, with water covering more than a tenth of the country after more than three times the average rain fell in August. (Photo/Reuters Archive)

At least five people have been killed and several injured as massive rains, along with flash floods, have lashed southwestern Pakistan over the past 24 hours, rescue agencies and local media reported.

Torrential rains and flashfloods inundated several roads, including portions of two key highways across southwestern Balochistan province, disconnecting it with rest of the country, apart from damaging dozens of mud houses and crops in at least 10 districts, the country's Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Sunday.

Two casualties were reported from the Khuzdar and Labella districts, each, while one person was killed in the remote Ketch district in multiple rain-related accidents, the PDMA said.

Chaghi, Pangur, Muchh, Chaman, Sibbi and Harnai were other hard-hit districts where rains and flashfloods washed away or damaged dozens of mud houses, standing crops and causing streams to overflow.

At least two bridges were also washed away by flash floods suspending the traffic between several districts within the province.

The inundation of a large swath of National Highway near the Harnai district has also suspended traffic between Balochistan and the rest of the country.

Footage screened on the local broadcaster Geo News showed long queues of vehicles and passengers stranded on either side of the highway.

Balochistan is Pakistan's largest province in terms of land and a key route to the multi-billion dollar project China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.