Dozens dead in Pakistan and India after floods and landslides

Dozens dead in Pakistan and India after floods and landslides

By Dan Wooding, Founder of ASSIST News Service

PAKISTAN/INDIA (ANS – July 3, 2016) -- At least 55 people have been killed in northern Pakistan and India in flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy monsoon rains.

The BBC is reporting that floods in the Chitral district of Pakistan damaged houses and a mosque killing at least 30, officials said.

Another 25 are now known to have died in floods and landslides in India's Uttarakhand and Arunachal Pradesh states in recent days.

“Hundreds die in South Asian monsoon season floods every year,” said the BBC. “Bad weather has hampered rescue efforts in both countries.”

Flash floods hit the village of Arsun, in Chitral, overnight from Saturday to Sunday.

Several people offering special Ramadan evening prayers in the local mosque were killed, local officials said, adding that women and children were among the dead.

A spokesman for the disaster management authority said there was panic in the area as hundreds rushed to flee their homes.

“Dozens of houses were also swept away as well as an army post, leaving eight members of the security forces missing,” added the BBC.

“Chitral is a mountainous area in Pakistan's far north, bordering Afghanistan. Flooding in the same area last year left several dead and destroyed bridges.”

In northern India, officials said the death toll after Friday's heavy rains caused flooding and landslides had risen to 15 in Uttarakhand and 10 in Arunachal Pradesh.

Several villages have been buried and a national highway is partially blocked.

Photo captions: 1) Troops search for victims of the floods. (AFP). 2) Families awaiting help after the floods. 3) Villagers escaping the floods. 4) Norma and Dan Wooding (Bryan Seltzer).

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About the writer: Dan Wooding, 75, is an award-winning winning author, broadcaster and journalist who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, and is now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for some 53 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. Dan is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS), and is the author of some 45 books. He also has two TV shows and a radio show, all based in Southern California.

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