ALPURI: Three people were killed and several suffered injuries on Thursday as torrential rains and snowfall continued to play havoc with public life in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

A woman died and her two children were injured when the roof of their house caved in due to heavy showers in Ganagar area of Shangla district.

Several vehicles skidded off the wet roads.

However, no fatal accident was reported in such cases.

The downpour in plain areas and snowfall on mountains in Shangla resumed on Thursday after a break of one day.

The Met Office said three feet snowfall was recorded in Shangla Top, four feet in Ajmir, four feet in Chakesar, two feet in Kandao and two feet in Pakhtangi Top area.

The heavy snow covered mountains and blocked roads inconveniencing motorists and commuters.

DC Shangla Saadat Hassan said work to clear roads from snow continued in 13 different areas.

He said roads would soon be cleared to give the people the access to their areas yet again.

Six-year-old Fawad was killed and seven-year-old Saima got injuries when the wall of their house collapsed in Chargulai area of Mohmand Agency due to heavy downpour.

The rain coupled with thunderstorm continued in the agency on Thursday paralysing life.

Meanwhile, heavy rains caused fear and panic among the people of slum areas in Swabi after their mud houses saw roof leaks.

The residents of Gundaf and Gohati refugee camps vacated their mud houses and shifted to the houses of relatives living in rented houses.

“The terrified refugees are shifting to houses of their relatives and praying for end to the downpour,” said Azmat Gul of the Gandaf refugee camp.

Local farmers said the excessive rains would spoil wheat crop by causing diseases. They said the hailstorm had already damaged their crop causing heavy losses to farmers.

Also in the day, an elderly man died of head injuries he suffered after slipping on a wet road in Kohat.

Witnesses Pervez and Saifullah said the incident occurred when Makin Khan, 72, was pushing his handcart.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2015

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