SHANGLA: Heavy rain accompanied by hailstorm lashed Shangla and its suburbs on Sunday, triggering landslides which blocked the Karakoram Highway at various points in Bisham, while rainwater entered shops, hotels and houses creating problems for the local people.

The rainfall, which started in the morning and continued for three hours, also disrupted power supply in some areas.

Police said that the Karakoram Highway was blocked at various points in the limits of Bisham police station and efforts were being made to reopen the road.

Local people told this scribe that due to heavy rainfall water from nearby nullahs entered into their hotels, shops and houses.

Shangla, Mansehra receive heavy rain

They said that the drainage system of Bisham city had not been cleared for years and because of its blockage water flooded the KKH and entered into shops.

Bisham traders union president Hamidur Rehman said that water often entered their shops and other trade centres during rains and damaged goods.

He said that despite repeated complaints the authorities were not making arrangements to clean the drains.

He said that the National Highway Authority should clean the drains in Bisham to save the KKH from damage and to resolve the problem being faced by the traders.

A passenger Ali Rehmat told Dawn that as the KKH was a major route the government should make arrangements for its immediate cleaning from the mud and maintenance.

Mohammad Ali said an under-construction link road leading to Khataksar from Bisham was washed away by the rain.

In Mansehra, the upper parts of Hazara received downpour on Sunday.

The rain, which was started in the morning continued till evening in Mansehra, Balakot, Torghar and Kohistan turning the weather pleasant.

The rainwater flooded streets and roads in the city and its suburbs causing inconvenience for the motorists and pedestrians, particularly at the KKH.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2017