Pakistani officials say massive floods triggered by torrential rain have killed at least 42 people in the country's northwest.

The officials say at least 20 other people are missing due to the flooding in the mountainous Kohistan District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

In an interview with VOA , a member of parliament, Mehboobullah Jan, said as many as 90,000 people are trapped by high water in the flood-hit region.

A top district official, Imtiaz Ali Shah, told VOA that high floods in a local ravine have hampered rescue operations. He said helicopters may be the only way to reach people trapped in villages.

The recent wave of monsoon rain in Pakistan started last week in the country's northern districts.