At least 35 die due to surprise snowfall, heavy rains in Pakistan

Dozens more are injured as freezing rain and unexpected snowfall hit remote areas of Pakistan over the weekend, the BBC reports

Life is at a standstill in parts of Pakistan's northern and western regions with roads blocked and homes damaged. Photo: BBC

At least 35 people have died and dozens more were injured as freezing rain and unexpected snowfall hit remote areas of Pakistan over the weekend, the BBC reports.

Twenty-two children were among the fatalities, many of whom were crushed in landslides that buried their homes, the report said on Tuesday, citing the nation’s disaster management authorities.

The extreme weather hit Pakistan's northern and western regions, clogging roads and damaging hundreds of houses, the BBC said.

Experts were surprised by the snow as Pakistan is typically humid in March.

Mushtaq Ali Shah, a former director of the country's meteorological department, attributed the unusual conditions to climate change.

He added that a light hail storm that lasts "for a few moments" would not be as surprising, but it is unusual for that to continue for over 30 minutes.

The heavy rains completely destroyed at least 150 houses and partially damaged 500 others, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the south-western Balochistan province, authorities said.