LAKKI MARWAT/MANSEHRA: Three people drowned in flood-swollen rivers in Lakki Marwat and Mansehra districts on Thursday.

A rescue official in Lakki Marwat told Dawn that two young men, including Asmatullah and Ihsanullah, were swept away by strong currents as they tried to cross the Kurram River in Wanda Painda Khan area on foot.

He said the Rescue 1122 divers found Asmatullah of Michenkhel area dead and shifted the body to the Government City Hospital, while Ihsanullah was untraced.

The official said search to retrieve the body was under way.

Also in the day, a young man drowned in the Kunhar River in Narah area of Balakot tehsil.

Six of family injured as boulder hits Khanpur house

The incident occurred as the deceased, Saad Akram, who was in his early 20s, was bathing in the flooded river in violation of the swimming ban.

The divers fished the body out and shifted it to the Balakot Civil Hospital.

Meanwhile, six of a family got injuries when a boulder hit their house in a remote village of Khanpur tehsil.

The residents said the boulder rolled down the hills in Mohra Ghazan village to hit the house of Mukamil Shah.

The incident left the house owner and his wife and four children injured.

Also, a mudslide hit a house in Machar area of Alpuri tehsil in Shangla district injuring some family members.

Deputy commissioner Ziaur Rehman told Dawn that the Rescue 1122 workers shifted the family to a safe place.

He said owners of other houses were also asked to evacuate.

Also, the administration reopened the Bisham-Swat Road, which was blocked by a landslide in Machar area.

A massive mudslide blocked the Bisham-Swat Road leaving vehicles stranded on both sides.

Meanwhile, the downpour-induced floods ravaged Choee village in Khanpur area.

A temporarily bridge was swept away by the floodwater hampering the movement of vehicles in the area for hours.

The bridge on the rainwater course was put up by Provincial Highway Authority as the construction of a permanent bridge on Tarnawa-Kohala Bala Road is under way.

The traffic remained suspended for a couple of hours before the machinery was moved to the area by the highway authority.

The flash flood also damaged the newly-constructed bridge, which linked villages of Daidan and Qureshabad.

According to the office of the additional deputy commissioner (relief) Shaista, the bridge on the Tarnawa-Kohala Bala Road was destroyed by floodwaters, while the one put up on the Kotnajibullah-Hattar Road was partially damaged.

It also revealed that four houses were partially damaged in rain-related incidents across the district.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2022