DHAKA: At least 53 people have been killed by flash floods caused by torrential rain in northwest Pakistan.

Pakistan officials say, reports the BBC.

The rain began on Saturday bringing flooding to parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan provinces.

Pre-monsoon rains often cause damage in rural Pakistan and officials said locals had been warned to leave their villages for safer places.

The summer monsoon season is even worse, last year killing dozens.

The weekend's rains also saw dozens of people taken to hospital with injuries, a national disaster management official, Latif ur Rehman, told the Associated Press.

Pictures showed shops and homes damaged, and bridges swept away.

Habib Khan, from northern Swat valley, told local TV, ‘We’re left on our own. Nobody from the government is coming to help us’.

Officials said tents and other relief goods had been sent to the region. Hundreds of people have also moved to safer areas, local media reports.

BDST: 1538 HRS, APR 04, 2016
RR