Death toll rises to 11 in Balochistan as rain lashes much of country
• Five of the victims die in Qila Abdullah, Kakar Khurasan
• Flooding in Kabul River, urban centres likely
• Widespread rain forecast across Punjab
QUETTA / PESHAWAR / LAHORE: The death toll in rain-related incidents has reached 11, while over a dozen people have been injured in different areas of Balochistan, with five more people losing their lives as heavy rains with thunderstorms continued in 30 out of 41 districts of the province, officials said on Monday.
“Five people, including three children, lost their lives during the last 24 hours in Kakar Khurasan and Qila Abdullah district,” a senior official of the district administration told Dawn, adding that a man and his son were killed and another man injured when lightning struck the Gulistan area of Qila Abdullah, a district bordering Afghanistan, during heavy rain and thunderstorms.
The deceased were identified as Bashir Ahmed and his son Zubair Ahmed, while the injured man was identified as Muhammad Shafi.
Three children were killed in the Kakar Khurasan area of northern Balochistan as torrential rains with thunderstorms lashed different areas of the province, including Quetta, which is in the grip of icy winds following snowfall in Ziarat.
Officials said that the children lost their lives when the roof of a mud house collapsed in Kakar Khurasan due to heavy rain. “The children were sleeping in the room when the roof collapsed. They were buried under the debris and died before any rescue operation could reach them,” a police official posted in the area said.
The downpour, accompanied by strong winds, has intensified the cold in the region. According to the Meteorological Department, heavy rain and gusty winds are expected to continue until April 9. The Balochistan Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued an alert, urging people to stay away from low-lying areas during rainfall.
Heavy rain has also affected other areas of Balochistan, including Dhadar, Sibi, Bolan, Pishin, Qila Abdullah and Khanozai. In Qila Saifullah, rain and hail have caused extensive damage to crops and orchards.
Flooding in Kabul River
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa PDMA also issued a flood advisory for several districts of the province for April 7 and 8, stating that River Kabul in Nowshera was likely to witness low- to medium-level flooding during this period.
The advisory, issued to deputy commissioners of several districts, stated that, as per the Met department’s latest analysis of hydro-meteorological models and conditions, Kabul River at Nowshera was expected to attain low to medium flood levels, while flash flooding was also expected in its associated tributaries, including Kohat Toi, Kurram and Gomal rivers.
The advisory added that urban flooding was also expected in Peshawar, Mardan and Nowshera during the period.
The authority asked district administrations to take all precautionary measures to avoid any loss of life and damage to infrastructure, crops and livestock.
It further stated that “people living along the banks of the Kabul River, Kohat Toi, Kurram and Gomal, and their associated nullahs, should be sensitised about expected flash flooding and increased water flows. Timely evacuation of at-risk populations from low-lying and flood-prone areas should be ensured, along with the availability of shelter, food and medicines in relief camps”.
Authorities were also asked to restrict vehicle movement in low-lying or at-risk areas near Kabul River and its associated water channels or nullahs.
Meanwhile, the Met department has predicted “widespread rain, windstorms and thunderstorms (with snowfall over high mountains) in Chitral, Dir (Upper and Lower), Swat, Buner, Malakand, Shangla, Kohistan (Upper and Lower), Kolai-Palas, Torghar, Battagram, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Bajaur, Mohmand, Swabi, Mardan, Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Khyber, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Kurram, Bannu, Orakzai, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, and North and South Waziristan districts on Monday night”.
According to the PDMA, at least 45 people have been killed and 105 others injured across the province in rain-related incidents since March 25.
Rain forecast across Punjab
The Punjab PDMA has forecast widespread rain and hailstorms across most districts of the province from the evening of April 6 to April 8.
The PDMA has issued alerts to local administrations to remain prepared for any emergency situation.
According to a PDMA spokesperson, rain is expected in several northern and central districts, including Rawalpindi, Murree, the Galiyat, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Talagang and Gujranwala.
Rainfall has also been predicted in Hafizabad, Wazirabad, Sargodha, Mianwali, Sheikhupura, Gujrat, Khushab and Mandi Bahauddin.
The spokesperson added that Lahore, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Jhang, Chiniot, Bhakkar, Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan and surrounding areas were also likely to receive rain, while further showers were expected across the Dera Ghazi Khan division.
PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said that alerts had been issued to all commissioners and deputy commissioners across the province to ensure preparedness.
He advised citizens to remain in safe places during thunderstorms and avoid open areas during lightning. He urged farmers to take precautionary measures in view of changing weather conditions, while tourists travelling to northern areas were advised to exercise caution.
Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2026
