CHITRAL, Oct 11: At least six people were killed and many others injured when roofs of their houses collapsed during heavy rain and snowfall here and in the Bajaur Agency over the past two days.

Some 200mm rain was recorded from Friday evening till Monday morning. In the first incident, one Rehana Bibi, 10, daughter of Qadeer Shah, a resident of Singore, died when the inner wall of her house caved in due to constant rains. Her two younger sisters, Sony and Guli, sustained injuries.

Muhammad Zar, 26, son of Rahmat Nawaz, a resident of Jughoor Goal, died as he slipped from a mountain he had climbed to cut grass for his cattle. Another young boy, Suhail, a resident of Broze, died when the roof of his house caved in. Other family members suffered serious injuries.

Heavy snowfall has been recorded at the Lowari Pass. PIA flights have also been affected. The main Peshawar road was blocked due to landslide at Bakarabad. Several parts of upper Chitral have been cut off from the rest of the country.

COMPENSATION: NWFP's Senior Minister Siraj-ul-Haq on Monday informed the provincial assembly that the government will pay compensation to people affected by the recent torrential rains in Chitral as a result of which several houses collapsed and crops damaged. Responding to a point of order, he said the government had directed the district revenue officer to assess the losses. - APP

Our Khar Correspondent adds: Traffic to Afghanistan has been suspended due to snowfall on the Ghakhi and Nawa passes and efforts are under way to clear the border routes, officials said.

A woman and her son were killed and an eight-year-old son of hers received injuries when their house collapsed in Durfaja village. In Airab village of the Mamoond tehsil, a man was killed and a woman injured when the wall of a house collapsed. Residents said two women and a man were injured when a house collapsed in Dankool village.