KHYBER/SOUTH WAZIRISTAN: A woman was killed and five people suffered injuries when a house’s roof collapsed in Landi Kotal area of Khyber tribal district on Wednesday night due to heavy rain.

The incident took place in the railway station area, according to Rescue 1122 officials.

They said that the roof collapse killed a woman on the spot and left five other family members, including children, injured who were shifted to a local hospital.

The rain also caused landslides in Loe Shalman, Ziyarrai and Bazaar-Zakhakhel areas. However, no damage to public life was reported.

Hailstorm damages orchard in Birmal area of Lower South Waziristan

Also, a hailstorm hit several parts of Birmal tehsil in Lower South Waziristan district on Thursday, causing widespread damage to orchards.

Farmers feared significant financial losses and reduced crop yields for the upcoming season.

The affected areas included Kalosha, Azam Warsak, Dazha Ghundai and Karmazi Stop. Residents said the hailstorm was sudden and intense, which battered fruit-bearing trees and disrupted agricultural activity.

Farmers said that orchards of apple, apricot, plum and peach were among the worst affected.

They said the hailstones knocked off flowers and unripe fruit from the trees, significantly diminishing prospects for this year’s harvest. “We were expecting a good yield this season, but the hailstorm has destroyed much of our crop,” said a local farmer, adding that the damage can have long-term economic consequences.

The agriculture sector in Lower South Waziristan forms a key part of the local economy, with a large number of residents depending on fruit farming for their livelihoods.

The farmers said they had already invested heavily in maintaining their orchards despite rising inflation, water shortages and other challenges. The unexpected weather event, they added, has compounded their difficulties and placed them under financial strain.

Affected growers have urged the provincial government, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and the district administration to conduct an immediate survey of the damaged areas and assess the extent of losses. They called for the announcement of financial compensation to support farmers in recovering from the losses.

“If Government and administration timely assistance is not provided, many farmers will face severe hardship,” another grower said, warning that the impact of the losses would not only affect individual households but also the broader local economy.

Meanwhile, agriculture experts attributed the untimely hailstorm and rainfall to the growing effects of climate change.

They noted that shifting weather patterns in recent years had made agricultural production increasingly unpredictable, particularly in vulnerable regions such as Lower South Waziristan.

The experts emphasised the need for farmers to adopt modern agricultural practices and protective measures to mitigate the impact of extreme weather events. They also called on the government to develop a comprehensive strategy to address climate-related challenges in the agriculture sector.

The experts further stressed the importance of timely advisories and support systems to help farmers prepare for and respond to sudden climatic changes.

They said the recent hailstorm highlighted the growing vulnerability of farming communities in Lower South Waziristan and underscores the urgent need for coordinated efforts to safeguard livelihoods and ensure agricultural sustainability in the region.

Published in Dawn, March 20th, 2026