GUJRANWALA/NAROWAL: Four people died, while eight were injured in two roof-collapse incidents, one in Gujranwala and other in Narowal, caused by heavy rain that lashed various parts of Punjab on Saturday night and Sunday.

In the first incident, Ashique Masih, a resident of Salamat Pura, Kamoki, Gujranwala district, was asleep in his one-room house along with his wife Naziran Bibi (50), daughter Asia (26), his minor grandsons Salman and Zeeshan and 4-year-old granddaughter Mehwish when its roof collapsed around midnight.

As a result, Asia, Salman and Zeeshan died on the spot, while the other family members were seriously injured.

Rescue 1122 staff shifted the injured to local tehsil headquarters hospital where they were being treated, while the dead bodied were handed over to the relatives.

Meanwhile, wheat crop on hundreds of acres was ruined in Tatlayaali because of overflow in Upper Chenab Canal.

According to farmers, the canal water discharged by irrigation officials entered wheat fields in Kharak, Ghoga, Landayshareef, Harpoki, Dhung and other villages and ruined the crop. Farmers demanded that chief minister should take notice of the incident and compensate them for their loss, besides ordering action against irrigation officials concerned.

In the other incident, six people of a family suffered serious injuries when roof of a house collapsed on Saturday night at Kakka Kalas village in Narowal district.

According to locals, Muhammad Khawar, his wife Nayyer Bibi, sons Addan (3), Shahzain (10), daughter Maheen (7) and his brother Waris were trapped under the debris when the roof of their house collapsed.

Locals rescued the injured and shifted them to hospital for treatment.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2017