4 dead in Kurram roof collapse incidents

PARACHINAR: At least four people were killed on Thursday after the roofs of houses collapsed amid severe storms and flash floods in Kurram District. Several others were injured as heavy rains continued to batter the area.

Officials said that reports of mud houses collapsing were coming in from various parts of Kurram due to heavy rainfall. In Darani in Lower Kurram, the roof of Ashraf’s house caved in, killing his 11-year-old son Abid and two daughters, five-year-old Asma and eight-year-old Yaseena.

In the Zirran Tajik area in Upper Kurram, the roof of journalist Yasir Abbas’s house collapsed, killing his five-year-old nephew, Kiyan Abbas, on the spot and injuring another five-year-old, Majid.

Shiraz Bacha, District Coordinator of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), said daily reports indicate that five to six mud houses collapse in different areas of the district, often resulting in casualties.

The heavy rains have also caused infrastructure damage. In Lower Middle Kurram, a road along the Kurram River near a bridge was washed away, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents stranded. Authorities said repair and traffic restoration efforts are underway, but access to some areas remains limited.

Residents have urged the government to take immediate measures to protect vulnerable communities from further damage as the rains continue.