PESHAWAR: Two more people were killed and a child was injured in rain-related incidents in Lower Dir and Bajaur on Monday.

In Lower Dir, a child was killed and another was injured when roof of the house of Abdul Akbar collapsed due to torrential rain in Barikab village in the limits of Munda police station.

Several cattle and household items were buried under the debris. Locals have demanded compensation for the affected family.

In Bajaur, a woman was killed when wall of the house of Abdul Wahab collapsed in Tang Khata area of Khar tehsil.

Over 80 goats perish in Lakki hailstorm; wet spell floods roads and streets in urban localities, affects wheat harvest in rural areas

Also, Rescue 1122 recovered two people from a stream in Damadola area after their car was washed away by flash flood. Several houses and walls collapsed due to rain in different areas of the district.

An official said that so far four women were killed and seven people were wounded across the district since Friday when the current spell of rain started.

In Swabi, intermittent rain for the last five days had damaged wheat crop. Farmers said that it would be a big financial loss for them.

Liaquat Yousafzai, central general secretary of Kashthkar Coordination Council, said that farmers were going through a critical situation. “Their wheat crop has already damaged by continuous rain. It will be very difficult for them to harvest and later thresh the crop in case of more rain,” he added.

In Lakki Marwat, heavy rain coupled with hailstorm and wind killed 89 goats and damaged houses and crops in different areas of the district.

The current spell of rain affected normal life and wheat crop harvest in rural localities. It flooded roads and streets in the urban localities.

The workers of civic bodies came into action in Lakki, Naurang, Ghaznikhel and other towns to clear inundated roads and open clogged drains. They also helped motorists to pass through flooded roads safely.

In Bitani tribal subdivision, at least 89 animals grazing at a mountainous pasture perished due to heavy downpour. In a video footage, their carcasses can be seen along a mountain.

A tribal youth said that the perished cattle were owned by different families. “I had bought seven goats on loan and all of them were killed in the calamity,” he claimed.

Officials and locals said that intermittent rain and hailstorm destroyed wheat crop in Paharkhel Thal, Kurrum Par, Manjiwala, Wanda Kalan, Dallokhel, Abakhel and other areas. They said that the downpour also damaged houses in the rural areas.

In Shangla, Karakoram Highway, Bisham-Swat road and other roads remained blocked to traffic due to heavy rain on second day and caused hardships to passengers while the upper parts of the district received snowfall.

According to police, Karakoram Highway was blocked between Bisham and Kohsitan at multiple locations. They said that Bisham-Swat road, Alpuri-Puran road and arteries were blocked due to heavy rain and storm.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2024