Deadly South Asian floods

Flash floods caused by days of torrential downpours have swept through parts of Pakistan's largest city, Karachi, and five provinces in Afghanistan.

In Pakistan, disaster relief officials said the death toll had risen to at least 30, with at least 12 fatalities in Karachi, some 1,142 kilometers (710 miles) southwest of the capital, Islamabad. Several other deaths were reported from the northwest and in the southwestern province of Baluchistan.

Officials said most victims in Karachi died from electrocution after strong winds blew over electricity poles. Others were killed by collapsing walls.

Authorities said it would take more than two days to clear up the damage in the city, which is home to 18 million people.

Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority warned that more thunderstorms and heavy rains were expected on Monday and that some rivers might flood.

Pakistan had its worst monsoon floods in history in 2010 when rising waters killed almost 1,800 people and affected 21 million.

Afghanistan also struck

In neighboring Afghanistan, flash floods that struck early on Saturday have killed more than 40 people in the provinces of Nangharhar, Kabul, Khost, Laghman and Nuristan.

Most of the deaths occurred in the district of Surobi, east of the capital, Kabul, where 34 people were said to have been killed in a remote and mountainous area.

A government statement from the adjacent province of Nangarhar said 17 people had died there in the floods. President Hamid Karzai's office said another seven died in Khost and Nuristan.

Officials said another 30 people were missing.

tj/dr (AP, dpa, AFP)