At least three persons were killed and many others injured as rain and snowfall continued to play havoc in several areas of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and tribal areas for the second consecutive day on Thursday.
Three siblings were killed and another three persons injured when the roof of a house collapsed at the Chinary area of the Safi Tehsil in the Mohmand Agency. The Mohmand administration officials said the roof of the house of Mukammal Khan fell down as a result of the two days rain.

Three children, who were guests and had come from Hyderabad were killed on the spot. The victims were identified as seven years old Qadir, three-year- old Halima Bibi and two-year-old Adnan, all children of Abdus Samad. The three injured were identified as Mukammal Khan, his wife and a daughter, Sameera.

The rain and snowfall continued in various areas of the Malakand division. The tourist resorts of the Swat district such as Kalam, Malam Jaba and other adjoining areas received snowfall. The snowfall and the rainfall confined the people to houses. The mountains in Lower Dir, Upper Dir, Buner, Shangla, Malakand Agency and Chitral received more snowfall.

Kalam, Malam Jaba and other tourist areas received up to six inches of snowfall, locals said. Two children, Mohammad Zeb and Najibullah, sons of Mohammadzada, were injured when the roof of a room of a house collapsed in the Khwazakhela tehsil of the Swat district. The injured were taken to the local hospital where their condition was stated to be stable. In Takht Bhai, fourpersons sustained injuries when the roof a mud-house collapsed here, local sources said.

They said a mud-house of one Hamidullah in Muslimabad caved in at midnight, burying the family members.The personnel of the Rescue 1122 reached the area and rescued the trapped family members including Wahida, Jamila, Maryyam and Habiba from the rubble.

The injured were shifted to Mardan Medical Complex where their condition was stated to be critical.The mountains peaks were covered with snow in Bisham area of Shangla district as the snowfall which started on Wednesday continued for the second day.The Met Office claimed that the rain would continue for the next two days.

The mountains in Shahpur valley, Spin Ghar and other areas received heavy snowfall.The communication system in many areas in the Orakzai Agency was disrupted due to the rains which continued for three days.The electricity supply to Ferozkhel, Kara Bazaar, Kareez, Dargai, Andkhel and Anjani Kilay was suspended after the collapse of electricity poles in these areas.The drinking water shortage was also reported in these areas as tubewells remained out of order due to power suspension.The telephone lines were also damaged due to rains. Connecting road in Dargai and Khando Killay were blocked after landslides.

Our correspondent adds from Chitral: The officials of a non-governmental organisation, who were trapped in the heavy snow, in the Lowari Top, were rescued by the personnel of police and Chitral Scouts, officials said.

The vehicle carrying staff members got stranded in the heavy snow after crossing the Lowari Tunnel on Wednesday."They remained trapped for over 24 hours. However, the personnel of police and Chitral Scouts rescued them after hectic efforts and brought them to the city safely," said an official.

Five feet snowfall had been recorded at the Lowari Top and the electricity pole had also fallen, disconnecting power supply to the district.Meanwhile, hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the Lowari Tunnel waiting for authorities' permission to allow them to travel through the tunnel.

The passengers, who were stranded in Dir town, complained that the hotels had raised room charges manifold.When contacted, member National Assembly Iftikharuddin said that he was in contact with the National Highway Authority officials to open the tunnel for the passengers.

The 'sudden' closure of the Lowari Top had also created shortage of essential items in the valley. "We can also face wheat shortage if the commodity was not provided to the district on priority basis," said a shop owner.When contacted, District Food Controller Sher Fayyaz Khan said that he had taken charge just 15 days ago. He said the area had not received its entire wheat quota.

In Peshawar, the shower that started late Tuesday night continued the whole day Wednesday and on Thursday intermittently. The provincial metropolis had received 33 millimeter rain till evening as there was a forecast of more rain.

The downpour returned the dwellers to woolies and proved to be formal beginning of the otherwise delayed winter season. The rain brought pleasant changes in the weather though it caused difficulties to the residents, particularly of low-lying areas as rain water pooled on roads and streets and chocked drainage nullahs in many localities of the city and cantonment areas.