Thunderstorms and lightning leave six injured

Crops damaged in various areas of the province

PESHAWAR/ CHARSADDA/ MARDAN: Six people, including three children, were injured in different rain-related incidents across the province on Sunday.

Three children and a woman were wounded when a house in Londa area of Nisatta, Charsadda was struck by lightning.

A Nisatta police official said the incident took place at the residence of Bahar Gul during a heavy storm in the area. His wife and three children Aasia, Mustafa and Naheed Bibi suffered injuries. Other family members took the injured to Charsadda District Headquarters Hospital.

Roof collapse

Over in Mardan, a heavy downpour caused the roof of a house to collapse, leaving two people injured.



Mardan Rescue 1122 official Dr Owais said the two people were injured in Ghala Dhair area of Mardan. He said Siddique, 40, and Rafiq, 35, were in a room inside their house when the roof caved in, trapping both of them.

He said rescue workers pulled out the victims and rushed them to Mardan Medical Complex where their condition was stated as critical.

Standing crops

Residents of Mardan said rain started in the district at around 12pm and a hailstorm also hit the area. The weather conditions damaged standing wheat and tobacco crops.

In addition to Charsadda and Lakki Marwat, the rainy spell also damaged ready-to-reap crops in parts of Swabi and southern districts of the province. A hailstorm also hit various areas of Lakki Marwat. Residents said the chick pea crop in the district was badly affected and farmers suffered massive losses as a result.

Rain to continue

The mercury dropped in Peshawar and other parts of the province. The Pakistan Meteorological department officials said the rain would continue till Monday morning. The department recorded 5mm rain in Peshawar and 21mm in Malam Jabba, 11mm in Saidu Sharif, 10mm in Kakul, 3mm in Chitral and 8mm in Kalam over the last 24 hours.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 20^th, 2015.