Monsoon rain: Three children drown in Lower Dir

CHAKDARA: Three children drowned in a seasonal stream during flooding in Khoni Dhand village in the jurisdiction of Ouch Police Station in Lower Dir district on Thursday.

Soon after the incident, the personnel of Rescue 1122, volunteers of Civil Defence and locals rushed to the spot and saved one child from drowning while three others were swept away by gushing floodwater.

However, the personnel launched a search operation for the missing children and retrieved the bodies of Shayan, 5, and Zohaib, 4, after hectic efforts.

Another child, who is feared dead, was still missing.

Our PESHAWAR BUREAU ADDS: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued an alert of glacier burst in Chitral and advised the district administration to take precautionary measures for any untoward situation.

The PDMA alert said that there were threats of glaciers burst in vulnerable areas of Chitral during one to two week duration and that the administration should not only inform the local population about the possible risks but should also take safety measures and monitor the situation.

It has also issued the details of loss of lives and damage to properties in rains and subsequent floods during the past three days in different parts of the province.

It said that four persons had lost their lives and six others were injured.

A house was destroyed, 18 others partially damaged while nine cattle heads perished in the floods.

The PDMA report said that two school buildings were partially damaged in Haripur, while one house was destroyed and 14 others partially damaged in Mardan and Bajaur.

As per PDMA relief compensation policy, the heirs of those killed in

natural calamities are being paid Rs03 million per head, Rs0.1 million to severely injured while Rs30,000 to 100,000 is given as compensation for per house damaged.

Compensation for cattle head is just Rs6,000 to Rs20,000 and Rs5,000 per acre for damages of orchards or crops and one family can claim only up to Rs50,000 under the relief policy. The concerned district administration is paying compensation to the affectees.