DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Six children were injured as heavy rain caused the roof of their house’s veranda to collapse in Kirri Khaisour areaof the Dera Ismail Khan district on Thursday.

The children, aged 9-10, were rescued from the debris and shifted to a local health centre but doctors referred two of them to the civil hospital due to critical condition.

They had taken shelter under the roof due to heavy rain.

Also, flash floods swept away houses and shops in Chota Lahor tehsil in Swabi district in the wee hours of the day.

No loss of life was reported as residents evacuated to safer places prior to flooding.

Coupled with strong winds, the rain began falling at 1am and lasted until 6am without interval, according to people.

They said the Jalsai village was badly hit by floodsas water entered houses and shops, destroying goods.

The residents attributed the destruction to encroachments and construction in the areas where rainwater normally flows.

Jan Mohammad, a local government representative, told Dawn both nullahs in the area were in high floods after heavy rainfall.

“The mud houses, built by poor people, were badly damaged by floodwaters,” he said.

The LG member said the people had started relief and rescue activities after they’re called for help.

A widow, whose house collapsed due to the torrential rain, said she made earthen ovens to earn a livelihood for her children but was too poor to rebuild the premises.

She complained she didn’t receive cash handouts from the government’s Benazir Income Support Programme.

The widow demanded compensation for her damaged house.

Meanwhile, the flooding of canals played havoc in Yar Hussain and Dubian areas, according to rescue officials.

They said a house was submerged, marooning four family members, including a minor child.

“We evacuated the family members to safety,” Luqman Khan, a rescue worker, told Dawn.

The ruling PTI’s local leaders said that the irrigation department should immediately remove encroachments to prevent further flooding of canals.

They said that the government was committed to helping out the victims of natural calamities.

The floodwaters destroyed standing maize crops, with growers fearing poor yields in the current year.

Also in the day, the people in flood-hit areas demanded that the government provide relief goods to them after the destruction of their houses and fields.

Meanwhile, repairs to the flood-hit Inayat Kallay-Barkholozo Road began in Bajaur tribal district on Thursday.

The roads and highway department began the work on the key artery, which links scores of areas in Mamound tehsil with other parts of the tribal district.

The road was badly damaged by heavy rains lately.

In a statement, local PTI MPA Dr Hamidur Rehman said that the roads and highway department had initiated work on the damaged portions of the road at his request.

He said that the road, closed for more than a week, would be restored to traffic soon.

“All-out efforts and means are being used for the early rehabilitation of the major road,” he said.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2024