UPPER DIR, July 20: At least 100 people, including women and children, are feared dead as lightning and thunderstorm has hit three villages, triggering a flash flood in the remote Usherai Darra area.

More than 20 houses, a mosque and dozens of cattle heads were washed away on Friday evening in the flood, local people and police officials said.

Nashnamal, Jabai and Banya Khaur, some 45kms east of Dir town, were hit by lightning causing havoc with life and property.

“We have retrieved 72 bodies so far from the river and the number of dead might increase to about 100 as people are still busy in searching for bodies swept away by the flood,” said local PML leader Nisar Hamza.

He said that more than 20 houses had been washed away. Volunteers had been engaged in the rescue work, pulling out bodies from Usheri River, which passes through the affected area. He said that due to darkness it had become difficult to continue the rescue work and to recover more bodies from the river.

An official said that more than 35 people were confirmed dead. He said that all the vehicles available with the Dir police had rushed to the area. The DCO had also gone to the affected area.

It is learnt that the ambulances of the health department were also sent and the EDO health has reached the area where a relief operation has been launched.

Gandigar police station officials said that they had recovered five bodies so far. Two men, two children and a woman were recovered from the river in Darora.

Meanwhile, Federal Interior Minister Aftab Ahmad Sherpao has expressed grief over the loss of lives and assured that the federal government together with the provincial government would do its utmost to provide immediate relief to the victims.

In a statement, Mr Sherpao offered condolences to the bereaved families and said that the federal government would take all necessary measures to provide relief to them.