Trail of destruction: Five minors die in separate roof collapse incidents

PMD issues warning of heavy rain, thunderstorm over next three days

SWABI/ CHARSADDA: At least five minors died in rain-related accidents in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa as the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued another warning of heavy rains in various parts of the province. Last week, over 12 people had lost their lives during heavy rains.

Two children were killed while a 16-year-old suffered injuries as the roof of their house caved in due to heavy downpour in Mamond tehsil in Bajaur Agency. Abdul Qayyum told the police his sons eight-year-old Rizwan and four-year-old Usman were killed whereas the 16-year-old Nazir was injured in the roof collapse. The bodies were taken out of the rubble by the local people and the injured was shifted to Khar headquarters hospital.

Meanwhile, an 11-year-old girl died while four others were injured as the roof of a house caved in Jamalabad, Swabi. Imtiaz Razziq told the police his family was sleeping when the roof of his house collapsed following heavy rain. As a result, his son, daughter and wife were injured.

In Charsadda, a three-year-old girl was killed while three more suffered injuries when the roof of their house collapsed.

Ibrahim told the police the roof caved in when his family was inside the room. As a result, his daughter Hina died on the spot while his wife and two sons were critically wounded.

In Takht Bhai, Mardan, 10-year-old Hafsa died when the roof of her house caved due to heavy showers near the Shah Noor pull of Takht Bhai. Imran Jan, Hafsa’s father, told the police Hafsa was inside the room when the roof collapsed.

Two more children were injured when roof of a house collapsed in Muhalla Daggar area of Mardan. Hazrat Ali told the police his house’s roof fell down following heavy rain in which his three-year-old daughter Sana and five-year-old son Abdullah were injured. Both of them were shifted to the hospital and are in stable condition.

More rains

PMD has issued warning of heavy rain and warned of thunderstorms in the coming three days. The PMD weather advisory issued to Provincial Disaster Management Authority forecasts widespread heavy showers with thunderstorm in areas located in the north of K-P, including Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Kohat and Mardan.

Scattered showers with thunderstorms have been forecasted in DI Khan and Bannu from Friday (today) to Sunday.

Heavy downpour may generate flash-flooding in northern K-P. There is also a possibility of land-slides in the mountainous areas. The PMD Peshawar regional office recorded 0.3 millimetres of rain in Peshawar on Thursday, 35mm in Patan, 20mm in Malam Jabba, 24mm in Balakot, 9mm in Saidu Sharif, 4mm each in DI Khan and Bannu while Kohat, Chirat and Parachinar each received 1mm of rain.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2016.