UPDATE - Death toll climbs to 33, 25 missing as heavy rains batter northwestern Pakistan

CHANGES IN HEADLINE, DECK; EDITS THROUGHOUT

By Islamuddin Sajid

ISLAMABAD (AA) - Death toll from ongoing rains and flash floods in northwestern Pakistan climbed to 33 while 25 are missing, rescue officials said on Friday.

Heavy rain and cloudburst caused massive flooding in Tehsil Salarzai area of Bajaur district and washed away several houses, Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) said in a statement.

So far 16 people have died, three injured while seven are missing, the statement added.

"The injured have been taken to local hospitals while search operation continues for the missing," said Amjid Khan, a district officer of Rescue 1122.

Separately, at least five people died and four others were injured when a house collapsed in Sori Paw area of Lower Dir district, after heavy rain hit the region.

Meanwhile, at least 10 people died and 18 went missing in Battagram district after a massive flood washed away several houses.

In another incident, two people died and one got injured when a car was swept away by fast-moving water in Mansehra district.

The fresh casualties soared the nationwide death toll to 343 in the ongoing monsoon spell since June 26. Over 740 others have been injured, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

A majority of deaths, 164, and more than 582 injuries, have been reported from the eastern Punjab province, the hardest-hit by the current monsoon spells.

The massive rains also triggered landslides in KP and Gilgit-Baltistan region, as authorities struggled to evacuate those stranded in different areas.

The NDMA has warned of another spell of monsoon rains from Friday until Sept. 10.

Authorities also cautioned that rise in temperatures accelerated melting of snow and glaciers across high-altitude regions, increasing water flows in rivers.

Monsoon rains, which typically last from June to September, often cause destruction across South Asia, including Pakistan, but climate change has further increased their unpredictability and intensity in recent years.