GHALANAI: Three children were killed and seven injured in roof collapse incidents as heavy rain lashed several districts on Friday night and on Saturday.

Mohmand district administration officials said Inzimam Khan, three, and Musarat, four, died when roof of house of Almas Khan collapsed in Jowar Banda Kohi Mor area of Ambar tehsil on Friday night. They said three others, including Almas, were injured.

The officials said two children of Nasimullah were hurt in a roof collapse in the same area. The injured Hamza, 10, and Farmanullah, seven, were shifted to hospital.

In Lakki Marwat district, Noman, eight, died when roof of a mud house collapsed in Langerkhel Hathi Khan village on Friday evening.

Flash floods block roads in many areas of Shangla

The minor was shifted to government city hospital in critical condition, where he succumbed to injuries.

The rain with hailstorm continued for several hours in the district, causing damage to wheat and gram crops in several parts. Farmers said the calamity could prove detrimental to their yearlong labour. They said more rains could delay harvest of gram crop which was likely to start in coming days.

Flood in a rain-fed nullah near Arsala village washed away a dirt road, causing suspension of traffic between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. The local administration had carved the track after a concrete bridge on Lakki-Darra Tang portion of Bannu-Mianwali Road was abandoned for traffic a few years ago due to its dilapidated condition.

Flashfloods also damaged roads in rural areas, disconnecting several villages with the Lakki city. Power supply was suspended to Lakki city and other areas for several hours.

The Pesco staffers managed to restore partial power supply to the urban locality but residents of congested Mohallah Haqdadabad and other areas faced the nightlong power breakdown.

The district administration has asked the revenue department employees to visit the calamity-hit areas and submit a report about rain-related losses for payment of compensation to the affected people.

In Bajaur tribal district, two persons were wounded when roof of a house collapsed in Mamond tehsil on Saturday.

Officials said the incident occurred in the Zagai locality, adding injured Hafiz Khan, 18, and Hina Bibi, 10, were shifted to the district headquarters hospital, Khar.

According to the hospital sources, both the wounded were stable.

A team of officials visited the area and handed over food and non-food items to the affected family.

Also, roofs of two houses collapsed in Malangi and Wakho areas of Mamond and one in Khar. However, no causality was reported, local residents and officials said.

In Shangla, heavy rain caused flash floods and landslides in upper parts of the district. Kana Road in Batubat area was blocked after flash floods brought rubble onto it.

Naveed Khan, a local, said Shahpur-Ajmeer Road was blocked by debris brought by a flooded stream in Damorai village. He said several vehicles were stuck on the road.

Abidullah of Pagorai said Bely Baba-Miankaly Road was blocked at Pagorai area due to a massive landslide. He said four houses were also at risk because of the landslide.

Rahm Firoz, the owner of a vulnerable house, said they had informed the administration about the landslide.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2020