36 killed, 100 injured as windstorm, rain wreak havoc in Pakistan

Islamabad: At least 36 people were killed and over 100 others injured as severe windstorm coupled with heavy rain wreaked havoc in parts of Pakistan overnight.

The gusty wind of more than 150 km per hour accompanied by rain swept through the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad and parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, uprooting trees, electricity poles, damaging houses and suspending power supply in several areas.

The storm lasted for half an hour last night, leaving a trail of devastation.

In the torrential rains, at least 12 people were killed in Islamabad, 16 in Rawalpindi and eight others in different areas of Pakistan hit by the powerful storm, police said, adding over 100 others were also injured.

The casualties were mainly caused by falling trees, signboards and electricity poles and roof-collapse incidents, police official Afzal Khan said.

Several domestic flights at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport in Islamabad were delayed or suspended.

Weather experts have warned of more rains and gusty winds next week.

Last year, windstorm and heavy rain had killed more than 40 people in Pakistan.