Rains, hailstorms kill four in country

LAHORE: Four people were killed in rain-related incidents as heavy rain accompanied with hailstorm and gusty winds forced the mercury to fall in many cities on Sunday.
The rain, which continued in many areas at different times during the day, was the result of the westerly waves, which the Met office said were affecting the upper and central parts of the country and were likely to continue during the next 24 hours. Met officials predicted more rains on Sunday night and early Monday.
Scattered rain-thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills is expected in Islamabad, upper and central Punjab (Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore divisions), while isolated rain-thunderstorm is expected in Faisalabad and Sahiwal divisions. Isolated heavy falls/hailstorm is also expected in Gujranwala and Lahore divisions during the next 24 hours.
Met officials said scattered rain-thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills is expected in the upper KP (Malakand, Hazara, Peshawar, Mardan, Kohat divisions), Fata (Khyber, Mohmand, Kurram, Orakzai, Bajaur agencies), while isolated rain-thunderstorm is expected in Bannu divisions and Laki Marwat during the next 24 hours.
They said dry weather was expected in most parts of Sindh during the next 24 hours while very cold and dry weather was expected in most parts of Balochistan, they said, adding scattered rain-thunderstorm (with isolated heavy falls) with snowfall over the hills is expected in most parts of Kashmir while scattered rain with snowfall over the hills is expected in most parts of Gilgit-Baltistan during the next 24 hours.
Meanwhile, three cousins were killed on Sunday when a wall collapsed due to heavy rain in Chak 412/GB, Tandlianwala. The three cousins — Sheharyar, Husnain and Perveen — came to a house for tuition when its wall collapsed. As a result, they were killed on the spot while another student Salman was injured.
In Lahore, more than one dozen mud houses collapsed while the city roads were inundated by rainwater, creating problems for the people. The rain started on Saturday night and continued on Sunday.
In Safi Tehsil, Mohmand Agency, a woman was killed and 11 persons sustained injuries in rain-related incidents, sources said on Sunday. They said the wife of Ghairat Khan was killed when the roof of his house collapsed in Sagi Bala village in Safi. The sources added that the wife and three children of Akbar Shah were buried alive when the roof of his house collapsed in the same village.
The locals rushed to the spot and started rescue activities. They rescued the injured after hectic efforts and shifted them to hospital. The injured, including Wahidullah, Sajid Khan, Pema and their mother, were stated to be out of danger.
In Kohat, seven members of a family sustained injuries when a roof collapsed in Tarak Ismailkhel in Jawakai area, hospital sources said. They said Manzoor and his six children, including Rahib, Murad, Maryam Bibi, Afsana Bibi, Farhana Bibi and Shahzeb were wounded when the roof of their house collapsed due to heavy rain. Locals rushed to the spot and rescued the trapped persons and shifted them to the District Headquarters Hospital in Kohat where their condition was stated to be stable. However, some cattle were killed in the incident.
APP/Online add: The rain and snowfall has paralysed routine life in Parachinar. The ongoing snowfall continued for the third consecutive day in Kurram Agency, creating immense problems for local traders. The snowfall on the nearby hilly ranges along with ground areas also continued, confining the people to their homes. With the continuous snowfall on the third consecutive day, the temperature fell to -2C as cloud and strong winds also ruled. Also, three to four feet snow was recorded in the area.
Meanwhile, snowfall and rain on Sunday paralysed life in Abbottabad, Galyat, Thandiani and adjacent areas. According to the Met department, the Abbottabad city received four inches of snowfall on Saturday night while Galyat and Thandiani received more than one foot snow. Power supply and telecommunication were suspended in Thandiyani, Changla Gali, Ayubia and Donga Gali. A road from Kalapani to Thandiyani and link road of Patan Kalan and other areas, including Kokmang, Chambiali and Sialkot, were closed for traffic due to snow. Heavy snowfall dropped the mercury below the freezing point in Abbottabad and its surrounding areas.
The heavy rains and snowfall over the hills of Azad Jammu and Kashmir have hampered the communication system in the hilly areas. According to media reports, the Muzaffarabad-Neelum Valley Road remained closed at Marble due to landsliding. Bagh-Lasdana, Bagh-Sudhan Ghalli and Reshian-Leepa Valley roads have also been closed due to landslides and heavy snowfall in these areas.
The Muzaffarabad, Kohalla and Muzaffarabad-Abbottabad roads were open for light vehicular traffic only. About two feet snow was recorded at Kail in Neelum Valley while Lasdana and Sudhan Ghalli received three feet of snow till Sunday evening. The hilltops surrounding the Muzaffarabad city were also clad with light snow on Sunday.