Two killed as rain continues to lash parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for third consecutive day

PESHAWAR: Two people lost their lives in a rain-related accident in Dera Ismail Khan district as persistent rainfall continued to batter large parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) for the third consecutive day on Wednesday.

According to the Dera Ismail Khan police, the squad vehicle of Maulana Asjad Mahmood, son of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, skidded off the road near Wanda Yarik due to rain and plunged into a ditch.

Two volunteers of Ansarul Islam, the JUI-F's sub-organisation, were killed in the incident, while one person sustained injuries. Police said the deceased hailed from Lakki Marwat district. The bodies and the injured person were shifted to a nearby hospital.

Further investigation into the incident is under way, according to police.

Rain and snowfall sweep across KP

Meanwhile, the provincial capital Peshawar continued to receive light rain for the third consecutive day on Wednesday. A fresh spell of rain and snowfall also swept across the Swat Valley on Wednesday, bringing a significant drop in temperatures and making the weather extremely cold.

Rainfall expected to benefit crops

An official stated that the ongoing rainfall is expected to benefit crops in the region. The continued wet spell has affected daily life across multiple parts of the province, with temperatures dropping notably in areas receiving snowfall.

The rain system has persisted across KP since Monday, with various districts experiencing intermittent showers. The Swat Valley in particular witnessed both rain and snowfall, significantly altering weather conditions in the mountainous region.

Authorities continue to monitor the situation as the wet weather spell shows no immediate signs of abating. The accident in Dera Ismail Khan has underscored the dangers posed by slippery road conditions during prolonged periods of rainfall, particularly on highways and arterial roads connecting remote districts.

The JUI-F's Ansarul Islam volunteers who died in the crash were reportedly part of the security and support squad accompanying Maulana Asjad Mahmood at the time of the incident. The loss of the two volunteers has been mourned within JUI-F circles, with the party yet to issue an official statement on the matter at the time of reporting.