MANSEHRA: Two sisters were killed and three other members of their family sustained injuries when two houses collapsed during lightning and a thunderstorm in Kotkay Sari area of Manoor Valley in small hours of Thursday.
‘This is a far-off and difficult mountainous terrain. We have dispatched a team to launch rescue and relief activities, Balakot Assistant Commissioner Hasrat Khan told journalists.
Salma Bibi, 17, and her younger sister Sidra Bibi along with three other members oftheir family were buried alive under the rubble of their houses, which collapsed during lightning and a thunderstorm followed by heavy downpour.
Locals rushed to the scene and started rescue activities, retrieving all five people from the rubble after hectic efforts of several hours.
However, Salma Bibi and Sidra Bibi succumbed to their injuries while the three injured family members including Manzoor Ahmad, his wife Mehnaz Bibi and Haleema Bibi, stated to be a sister of both the deceased, were shifted to a nearby health facility, where their condition was stated to be critical.
Hasrat Khan said that the entire Manoor Valley experienced lightning and thunderstorms amid heavy downpour, but no other fatality was reported from anywhere.
‘Our teams accessed theaffected village after walking on foot through highly difficult terrain. They took part in rescue and relief activities besides completing damage assessment survey,’ he said.
Mr Khan said that Rs1 million in compensation would be paid to the family of each deceased, while the injured would receive Rs100,000 each. ‘Our teams would complete the survey, and the report would also be shared with provincial government for house compensation, as the family of each destroyed house would receive Rs500,000,’ he said.
Meanwhile, four people, including a couple, were killed and seven others injured in different incidents here and Torghar on Thursday.
Yahyzar was cutting grass with a machine along with his wife when one of them touched a live wire. The other attempted to rescue him and both fellunconscious. Locals rushed them to a nearby health facility where doctors pronounced them dead.
In another incident, Mohsan Shah, 21, was killed in the name of honour in Lambi Dehri Kotkay area here when two motorcyclists opened fire on him and managed to flee.
Sajawal Shah told Lari Adda police that his son Mohsan Shah had married a girl from Peshawar without the consent of her family.
In another incident, Mohammad Agash was killed and seven others sustained critical injuries during a dispute between two families over children in Baffa area here.
According to police, the two families quarrelled and exchanged fire, leaving Mohammad Agash injured. He was rushed to tehsil headquarters hospital in Baffa where doctors pronounced him dead.