ABBOTTABAD: A four-year-old girl drowned in rainwater near Jhugiyan locality and at least 12 feeders tripped as heavy rain accompanied by a thunder and windstorm lashed the Abbottabad district late on Saturday.

The victim was identified as Madina Bibi.

The heavy rain inundated the Karakoram Highway and the Kakul Road, stranding several vehicles, motorbikes and passengers, especially near the Supply, Qureshi Pump, Jhangi, near Army Burns Hall College, opposite Ayub Medical Complex Hospital, Bilal Town and Hassan Town.

Drains overflowed because they remained choked with garbage with inner city roads also submerging in rainwater.

The downpour and windstorm also disrupted power supply as electricity poles and distribution lines were damaged due to uprooting and falling of trees on the poles, plunging the entire city into darkness.

Lightning damaged the main grid station on the Murree Road, but it was repaired quickly.

Pesco Abbottabad circle superintending engineer Ghulam Sarwar declared an emergency in view of the damage and directed all the staff to stay on call.

Pesco teams managed to restore power supply to the main city, Kehal, Repco, Sherwan, Town Havelian, Nathiagali, Nawan Sheher Dhamthore, Bagnother, Lora and Havelian feeders by 12 noon on Sunday.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2021