PESHAWAR/MUZAFFARABAD: At least 45 people were killed and more than 30 injured as heavy rains inundated various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Kashmir on Sunday, government officials said.

KP government spokesman Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani confirmed 37 casualties in the province and said "most of the damage was caused by land sliding and incidents of roof collapse".

Deputy Commissioner Neelam District Abdul Majeed Kiyani said that rescue teams recovered eight bodies buried under the rubble.

See more: Rains, flash floods cause havoc in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

“Rescue officials, with the help of locals, recovered five women and three children buried under the rubble,” said Kiyani.

Ghani said that KP government has initiated relief work and the government machinery is working round the clock to carry out rescue and relief activities.

The worst-hit area was Kohistan where 12 deaths were reported, followed by Shangla district where rains and landslides killed 10 people, The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) official said.

Two people died in Swat while one person each in Malakand, Mansehra, Upper Dir, Charsadda and Chitral.

The district administration reported 16 injuries, the PDMA said, adding that the authority is in constant contact with district administrations and is exercising vigilance regarding the situation.

Rainfall and flooding in the Peshawar valley caused the Bara Khowar lake to overflow. Over 70 shops near the Batta Thal Pull were washed away, while several others were partially damaged.

A number of homes, crops and orchards were also destroyed in the province as a result of rainfall and flooding.