4 drown as water level surges in rivers

MANSEHRA: Four people, including three girls, drowned in different incidents as water level of rivers surged significantly because of the glaciers’ melting in Mansehra and Torghar districts on Sunday.

Two daughters of a former tehsil council aspirant, Khadam Shah, and his friend Kharool Anwar Bacha were taking bath in Dor Mera River in Torghar when sudden waves dragged the girls into the deep water and both of them drowned.

Local divers later fished out the bodies and handed them over to their family.

According to families, both the friends were of almost 14 years of age.

Also, Fatima,18, stated to be insane by her parents, slipped into the River Kunhar in Shino area of Kaghan valley and locals attempted to rescue her but failed.

“Our water rescue team has been searching the body in parts of the River Kunhar after locals identified areas,” stated Khadim, an official of the Rescue 1122.

He said the flooding in Kunhar water because of the glaciers’ melting caused hurdles in their rescue operation.

Meanwhile, Maavia Mustajab, a grade-VIII student of the government high school Tarangri Bala, drowned in the Siran River in Mansehra.

Mohammad Mustajab, an employee of the Agriculture Research Station in Baffa, told reporters that his son had gone to meet his grandparents in the Tanda area and drowned in the River Siran while taking bath to beat the heat. The locals recovered the body and handed it over to his family after hectic efforts for several hours.