Monsoon rains trigger mudslide in Pakistan; 12 dead near Afghanistan border

A mudslide triggered by heavy monsoon rains struck a house in a remote area of northwestern Pakistan, killing 12 people, most of whom were children, a rescue official reported on Friday.

The incident took place overnight in Upper Dir, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Friday, near the Afghanistan border.

Inayat Ali, an official with the state-run emergency service, confirmed on Friday that rescuers retrieved the bodies of nine children, two women, and one man, according to AP reports.

Warnings have been issued by authorities that the continuous heavy rain, which began last month, could potentially cause more landslides and flash floods across Pakistan. Since July 1, over 275 people have lost their lives in rain-related incidents throughout the country.

Pakistan experiences its annual monsoon season from July to September. Scientists attribute the increasingly heavy rains in recent years to climate change.

In 2022, monsoon downpours flooded a third of the country, resulting in 1,739 fatalities.

Meanwhile, schools in Karachi, the most populous city in Pakistan, have been closed due to a tropical storm forming in the Arabian Sea. The decision was made by authorities as weather experts cautioned fishermen to avoid going out to sea.
According to meteorologists, the storm's location was "200 kilometers (120 miles) southeast of Karachi" as of Friday morning.