Pakistan: 26 die from heavy rains, flooding

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Pakistani officials say heavy monsoon rains that triggered flooding in the country’s north have caused at least 26 deaths.

An official at the State Disaster Management Authority, Khawaja Zia, said torrential rains that started Wednesday have killed 17 people and damaged about 500 homes in the Pakistan-held Kashmir region.

Another official, Adnan Khan, says nine people died Wednesday in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Six of the deaths occurred in Mansehra district, and three in Nowshera district.

Both officials spoke to The Associated Press on Thursday.

Pakistan suffered the worst flooding in its 65-year history in 2010. Floodwaters inundated one-fifth of the country, an area larger than England, and killed over 1,700 people. Over 20 million people were affected.