PESHAWAR: Three children were killed and their eight family members were injured when a house caved in the Naway Killi village of North Waziristan tribal district due to heavy snowfall on Saturday.

The snowfall coupled with rain continued in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the second consecutive day.

An official of the district administration said Mohammad Haleem’s house collapsed due to heavy snowfall killing three minors on the spot.

He said the neighbours pulled the injured from under the debris and shifted them to the Miramshah hospital.

The official said the administration provided the family with tents and other material. Snow up to two feet fell in Shawal and Razmak areas causing blockade of roads.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority said it hadn’t learned about any damage to public life and property by rains or snowfall from other parts of the province.

In a statement issued here, the PDMA said the weather remained cold and partly cloudy in most parts of the province during the last 24 hours.

Snowfall, rain continue in KP for second day

However, rain fell in isolated places of Kohat, Bannu, Peshawar, Dera Ismail Khan and Malakand divisions.

The PDMA said 30mm rainfall was recorded in Parachinar, 19mm in Bannu, 14mm in Malamjabba, 12mm in Dir, 10mm in Dera Ismail Khan, seven millimeters in Abbottabad and Peshawar, five millimeters in Balakot, Cherat and Drosh, and one millimeter in Chitral and Kalam.

It added that during next 24 hours, widespread rains with thunderstorm and gusty winds, and snowfall over the hills were expected in Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Khyber, Mohmand, Kohat, Karak, Hangu, Orakzai, Kurram, Bannu, Lakki Marwat, D I Khan, Tank, North and South Waziristan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Battagram, Mansehra, Kohistan, Torghar, Shangla, Buner, Swat, Malakand, Chitral, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Bajaur, Mardan and Swabi districts.

The PDMA warned that landslides could occur in vulnerable places of Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Battagram and Mansehra districts.

Heavy snowfall continued in the hilly resort of Samana of Hangu district for the second consecutive day.

Rains lashed Kohat district and its Darra Adamkhel tehsil triggering intense cold.

The adventurers thronged Samana resort to enjoy snowfall. They admired the picturesque place.

Rains coupled with strong winds lashed Battagram, Ajmera, Chappargram, Peshora, Shamlai, Batamori and areas of Allai tehsil, while heavy snowfall was reported in Rashang, Bateela, Biari, Banna Khapero Soka and Chail Sar areas.

The snowfall also led to excessive power outages in the district.

In the snow-bound hilly areas, the residents remained indoors. However, no damage to public life or property was reported there.

Meanwhile, APTA Battagram chapter general secretary Javed Iqbal asked the government to extend the winter vacation in the district due to cold weather and snowfall.

He said the teachers struggled to reach schools in remote areas due to rains and snowfall, while students stayed away.

The winter vacation across the district lasted until Feb 28 with the schools opening on March 1.

The widespread rains damaged boundary walls of schools and other structures in Karak district. However, no damage to public life was reported.

In Swabi, Gadoon Amazai Mehaban mountain region and its suburbs remained in the grip of serve cold due to the continuous rain and snowfall.

The Birgali and Mehaban regions received more snowfall at night forcing the residents to stay indoors.

Mohammad Zahid of Birgali said the snow had blanketed the entire region.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2019