THE DEATH TOLL FROM HEAVY MONSOON RAINS IN PAKISTAN HAS RISEN TO AT LEAST 23, MEDIA REPORTS SAID TUESDAY. QUOTING OFFICIALS IN LAHORE, THE CAPITAL OF CENTRAL PUNJAB PROVINCE, THE PRIVATE GEO TV SAID A BUILDING COLLAPSE KILLED ONE CHILD AND INJURED OTHERS, WHILE TWO OTHER CHILDREN DIED IN ANOTHER INCIDENT. OFFICIALS ALSO REPORTED SEVERE DAMAGE TO AT LEAST SIX OTHER BUILDINGS, RESULTING IN THE DEATHS OF TWO LABOURERS OF A FACTORY WHEN THE ROOF CAVED IN FOLLOWING INCESSANT RAINS. HEAVY MONSOON RAINS SINCE THE WEEKEND HAVE DISRUPTED LIFE IN SEVERAL CITIES, INCLUDING LAHORE, RAWALPINDI AND ISLAMABAD, AFFECTED AIR AND ROAD TRAFFIC WITH THE METEOROLOGY OFFICE FORECASTING MORE RAINS IN THE DAYS AHEAD. MUDSLIDES AND FLOODS FOLLOWING HEAVY MONSOON RAINS KILLED 17 PEOPLE, INCLUDING SEVEN WOMEN AND TWO CHILDREN IN A MAKESHIFT RELIEF CAMP IN PAKISTAN'S QUAKE-AFFECTED AREA NEAR MUZAFFARABAD, WHILE ANOTHER FIVE WERE KILLED IN RAWALPINDI ON MONDAY, THE GERMAN NEWS AGENCY 'DPA' REPORTED.
