LAKKI MARWAT: Seven persons were killed and 72 others were injured after a heavy rain lashed three districts of Bannu division besides provincial capital on Sunday afternoon.

Five people were killed and 67 others were wounded in Bannu division while two persons were killed and five others were injured in the provincial capital.

Bannu Commissioner Pervaiz Sabatkhel told Dawn that heavy rain coupled with strong winds hit the districts of Bannu, Lakki Marwat and North Waziristan. He said that three people were killed and 51 others were injured in Bannu district while in Lakki Marwat district one person was killed and 16 others were wounded. One person was killed in North Waziristan district.

He said that the district administrations were put on alert and teams were sent to the affected areas to assess losses. He said that all available resources were being used for provision of quick relief to the calamity-hit people.

He said that army, police, Rescue 1122 and district administrations were engaged in rescue and relief activities. He said that availability of doctors and paramedics was ensured at all hospitals in Bannu division.

Over 70 others receive injuries in rain-related incidents in Bannu, Lakki, Waziristan and Peshawar

Torrential rains coupled with strong winds hit southern districts, causing damage to houses and inundating roads and streets. Locals said that powerful winds started blowing in the afternoon and then heavy downpour lashed parts of Lakki Marwat and Bannu districts.

They said that the recent spell of rain damaged houses and boundary walls. Rainwater accumulated on roads and disrupted flow of traffic. The heavy downpour also submerged urban roads and streets, adding to the troubles of residents. People stayed indoors when strong winds and rain hit their areas.

A resident in Bannu said that the rural areas that had suffered losses in the first spell were hit by the second spell of rain and strong winds. He said that the affected people were in dire need of help and assistance.

Rescue officials said that they rescued 15 people in Kakki, Khujari and Haved areas of Bannu and shifted them to hospitals.

In Manjiwala area of Lakki Marwat, a truck identified as Siraj, a resident of Karachi, was injured when he lost over the wheel due to the powerful windstorm.

In Peshawar, Rescue 1122 officials said that two persons were killed and five others were injured in various rain-related incidents.

Bilal Ahmed Faizi, a spokesperson for Rescue 1122, said a wall collapsed in Badabher while shed of a mosque collapsed in Nishtarabad. Similarly, powerful winds uprooted trees in Governor’s House.

On the other hand, weather remained hot, humid and partly cloudy in most districts of the province. However, dust storm and rain were reported in Bannu, Peshawar and Dir districts.

Met department said that Bannu district recorded 24 millimetres of rain while Dir 03. Besides, Bannu district recorded winds with maximum speed of 85 kilometres per hour while provincial capital witnessed winds of 45 kilometres per hour.

However, the weather was predicated very hot and humid in plain areas of the province while hot and dry in hilly areas on Monday (today). Besides, it said that rain-wind-thunderstorm was likely to occur at isolated places in Abbottabad, Mansehra, Battagram, Torghar, Kohistan, Shangla, Swat, Buner, Malakand, Lower and Upper Dir districts in the evening.

“Dust raising/gusty winds are likely in plain areas of the province in evening/night,” the forecast said.

At least 27 people had been killed and 145 received injured in the southern districts including Bannu and Lakki Marwat during the first spell of powerful windstorm coupled with heavy rain and hailstones on June 10.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2023