At least 45 people were killed and more than 30 injured after heavy rain across northern parts of the country caused the roofs of dozens of homes to collapse, officials said on Sunday.

The deaths were reported in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following a downpour that began Saturday night, a provincial disaster management agency spokesman said.

The worst-hit area was Kohistan where 12 deaths were reported, followed by Shangla district where rains and landslides killed 10 people.

Poorly-built homes, particularly in rural areas, are most susceptible to collapse during heavy spring rain.

Severe weather hits the country every year, with hundreds killed and huge tracts of prime farmland destroyed in recent years.