MANSEHRA: Five people, three of them girls, drowned in Mansehra and Torghar rivers on Sunday.

Two teenage girls were swept away by strong currents in Dor Mera River in Torghar while taking bath. The victims were identified as daughters of a former tehsil council aspirant Khadam Shah and his friend, Anwar Bacha.

Local divers fished out the bodies. Both the girls aged 14.

Meanwhile, Fatima, 18, stated to be differently-able by her parents, slipped into the Kunhar River in Shino area of Kaghan valley and drowned. Locals attempted to rescue her but failed.

“Our water rescue team has been searching for the body,” a Rescue 1122 official said. He said high flood in the river was hampering efforts to trace the body.

Mavia Mustajab, an eight-grader, drowned in the Siren River in Tanda area. He was a resident of Tarangri Bala area. The locals fished out the body after efforts of many hours as gushing waters hampered their effort.

Also, a nine-year-old boy drowned in Kunhar River in Balakot. Mohammad Umar and his brother were taking bath in the river when heavy tides swept Umar away. Search for the body was underway.

Published in Dawn, July 4th, 2022