At least two children were killed and three others injured after heavy rain, lightning and flash floods struck parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while widespread damage to homes, mosques, shops and infrastructure was reported in Lower and Upper Chitral, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said on Wednesday.

According to the PDMA’s preliminary damage assessment, the children were killed when lightning struck the Zakhakhel area of Bara in Khyber district. Three injured children were shifted to a nearby hospital.

In Lower Chitral, torrential rain and a cloudburst triggered flash floods that affected 27 houses. The flooding also damaged two mosques, two shops and a bridge.

The PDMA said four vehicles and several motorcycles were also damaged, while authorities were assessing the overall losses.

In Upper Chitral’s Yarkhun and Mastuj areas, flash floods damaged a house, several drinking water schemes and irrigation channels. No casualties were reported, and relief supplies have been provided to affected families.

The authority said two link roads blocked by flooding in Lower Chitral had been reopened for traffic.

PDMA, Rescue 1122 and other agencies are continuing search, rescue and relief operations in the affected areas.

The authority said its Emergency Operations Centre remains fully operational, is coordinating with district administrations and closely monitoring the situation.

It urged the public to report emergencies through its helpline, 1700.

Meanwhile, intermittent heavy rain and hailstorms swept Abbottabad, Swat, Shangla and Bajaur, bringing relief from the recent heatwave but causing localised flooding and traffic disruptions.

In Shangla, heavy rain in Bisham, Puran and surrounding areas brought temperatures down significantly, while district authorities advised residents to avoid streams and waterways due to rising water levels.

Swat, including Mingora and nearby areas, also received torrential rain, with streams overflowing as rainfall continued in the upper tourist destinations of Malam Jabba and Kalam.

In Abbottabad, heavy rain and hail left several roads waterlogged, causing traffic congestion in urban areas. Bajaur also recorded thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rain and hail.

Rain in Islamabad

Rainfall also reached Islamabad after days of intense heat and humidity.

In Sector F-7, strong winds uprooted a tree that fell onto a parked vehicle, damaging its roof and front and rear windscreens.

Capital Development Authority (CDA) teams removed the tree, and no injuries were reported.