Rains cause dozens of deaths in Pakistan

Heavy rains in recent weeks caused flooding and accidents that killed dozens of people in Pakistan, authorities said. At least 69 rain-related deaths were reported since Aug. 22, the National Disaster Management authority told a news conference in Islamabad Sunday. Many more people were injured and hundreds of buildings were damaged. The deaths included at least 20 Sunday, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported. The disaster authority said at least 38 people have died in the provinces of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan, and in Islamabad, the Dawn newspaper reported. The agency said another 31 people have died in Pakistan-held Kashmir, the report said. Many of the victims died in rain-related incidents including traffic accidents, roof collapses and electrocution. The rains were forecast to continue in most of the affected areas for another two days.