10 killed, thousands homeless as Phet hits Pakistan

ISLAMABAD - Ten people died and thousands were left homeless as tropical cyclone Phet brought heavy rain and flooding to Pakistan’s coast, officials said Monday.

The chief port of Karachi was spared the brunt of the cyclone, which made landfall 80 km to the south at Thatta district late Sunday.

Qamaruz Zaman Chaudhry, the head of Pakistan’s Meteorological Department, said low-lying areas of Thatta’s coast bore the brunt of the storm with waves up to five metres high.

At least 10 people were electrocuted in Karachi where heavy rains disrupted power transmission. Dozens were admitted to hospitals with injuries from rain-related accidents, said Mohammed Younus, a spokesman for the private Edhi Rescue Service.

Several flights were cancelled or delayed at Karachi international airport.

About 20,000 people were stranded in Gawadar, a port city in the south-western province of Balochistan, where 350 mm of rain fell within 24 hours.

“Our people are carrying out rescue and relief activities round the clock,” district official Pasand Khan Buledi said.