MARDAN, Aug 23: At least four people were killed and many others injured as heavy rain, accompanied by a severe storm, played havoc in different parts of Mardan late Thursday night, levelling mud-houses and destroying standing crops on a large area.

Unprecedented in the area, the rain badly damaged Gaddar-Hamza Khan, Sawalder, Jamal Garhi, Qaziabad and Katlang villages. Standing crops of maize, sugar cane and vegetables were destroyed.

The rain caused flash flood in Muqam Gudar, a local stream, sweeping away a large number of mud houses besides marooning the people.

Gaddar-Hamza Khan villages bore the brunt of the rain and flood and its villagers told Dawn that intensity of rain was unprecedented. The rain also knocked out telecommunications and power systems in the area.