Monday, June 25, 2007

Rains Cause Chaos in Pakistani City, 220 Killed

"Now the total number of those killed because of rain is 228," provincial Health Minister Sardar Ahmed told Reuters. "These deaths are caused by electrocution, falling trees, house collapses and road accidents."

More bad weather is forecast for Pakistan and neighbouring India, where dozens have died after prolonged downpours across the country in the last few days. Aid workers and military helicopters in India's southern state of Andhra Pradesh were battling on Sunday to provide food for 200,000 people displaced by monsoon floods.

Karachi residents hurled stones at passing cars and power company vehicles and burned tyres in protest at the power outage affecting most of the country's commercial hub.

Low-lying neighbourhoods were submerged after 17.7 millimetres (0.7 inches) fell on the city from Saturday. The rains were followed by a strong storm which uprooted trees and signboards and cut electricity wires.

Pakistani officials said hospitals in the sprawling city had reported 43 deaths, while a private welfare organisation, Edhi Trust, had received the bodies of another 185 people.

Weather officials predicted more rains.

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