DIR: At least 11 people, including three children, lost their lives and 47 others were injured after heavy rains and a windstorm struck Dera Ismail Khan and Lower Dir, officials confirmed on Sunday.
Eight deaths were reported in Dera Ismail Khan, where winds of up to 100 km/h caused roofs and walls to collapse, while three children were killed in Lower Dir when the roof of their home caved in during the downpour. The new fatalities have pushed Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s rain-related death toll this season to over 400.
According to Deputy Commissioner Abdul Nasir Khan, five of the DI Khan victims were from the main tehsil, while three were from Paharpur. Of the injured, 41 are being treated at District Headquarters Hospital and six at Mian Muhammad Teaching Hospital. Three remain in critical condition.
Rescue teams reported widespread damage across DI Khan, where the storm uprooted trees, blocked roads, and knocked down power lines. Solar panels were torn from rooftops, while much of the district plunged into darkness due to disrupted electricity.
In Lower Dir’s Maidan area, the deceased children were identified as Qasim, 10, Murtaza, 11, and Sohail, 9. Rescue 1122 teams responded quickly, but the children could not be saved.
Provincial leaders expressed grief over the loss of life. Governor Faisal Karim Kundi and Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur extended condolences to the bereaved families, prayed for the departed souls, and directed immediate relief for the victims. Gandapur further assured that compensation and rehabilitation measures would be taken to support the affected families.
District authorities have intensified rescue operations and are monitoring vulnerable areas closely, urging citizens to take precautions and report emergencies without delay.
