PESHAWAR: Rain and hailstorms lashed various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday damaging crops and inundating roads.

However, no damage to public life was reported.

Snow fell in parts of Hazara division turning the weather cold.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast more rains for today (Tuesday).

The provincial capital reported downpour for several hours with thoroughfares, including Kohat Road, Saddar Road and Sunehri Masjid Road, and other areas being inundated.

Cold weather swept through the Hazara division after Musa da Mussala, Koh-i-Makra and Malka-i-Barbat in Kaghan valley of Mansehra district received a fresh spell of snowfall.

Animals perish in Dir, landslides reported in Hazara

The snowfall began in early hours of the day and continued intermittently all through the day.

The rainfall in Mansehra, Kolai-Palas and Torghar triggered landslides in the mountainous parts of Konsh, Siren and Kaghan valleys.

The mass of dirt and rocks blocked the road, which links the Shogran tourist resort with Siri Paya at the foot of the Koh-i-Makra mountains in Kaghan Valley, to traffic.

The Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road, which was reopened by the National Highway Authority to traffic after the removal of avalanches last week, was blocked again.

In Lower Dir district, torrential rains, hailstorm and flash floods damaged public property.

Workers of Rescue 1122 said that floodwaters entered houses, shops and mosques in Timergara, Paito Dara and Khungi areas causing damages of millions of rupees.

They also said several cows, goats and sheep were killed in Talash, Yarkhan Banda and Khungi.

A stream bursts its banks in Talash area disrupting traffic on the Timergara-Peshawar Road for more than three hours. The road’s closure stranded thousands of passengers. Long queues of vehicles were seen on both sides of the artery.

Hailstorms at Talash Jabo and Yarkhan Banda killed several cattle heads and brought the temperature down to the freezing point. The downpour destroyed the boundary walls of several houses and damaged standing crops.

According to Rescue 1122 officials, no human loss was reported anywhere in the district.

They, however, said that floodwaters swept away several link roads in Talash and Paito Dara and dismantled power poles disrupting power supply in parts of Talash valley.

The residents said a mosque in Khungi area was damaged due to floodwaters.

Several vehicles crashed in Khaima, Zwal Baba and Timergara areas. However, no one was injured.

The Rescue 1122 teams cleared the roads to traffic.

In Batkhela area of Malakand district, several pushcarts and wooden cabins were washed away by rainwater on the roads. Several shops were also flooded.

Heavy downpour and hailstorms damaged crops as well.

Shabqadar, Tangi and other areas of Charsadda district also reported heavy rainfall and hailstorm and damage to wheat crop and orchards.

The residents said rainwater entered shops in Shabqadar Bazaar and inundated low-lying areas. However, no damage to public life was reported.

The PMD forecast more rains for today (Tuesday) saying the heavy downpour along with wind and thunderstorms is likely to fall in Chitral, Dir, Swat, Kalam, Saidu Sharif, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Kohistan, Kuram, Waziristan, Dera Ismail Khan, Peshawar, Charsadda and Mardan areas.

Heavy rainfall and hailstorm are also expected at isolated places.

The department said that Peshawar reported 23mm of rainfall, Lower Dir 22mm, Kakul 15mm, Balakot 11mm, Parachinar 8mm and Mardan and Saidu Sharif 3mm each.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2023