Rain, hailstorm damage crops in Tirah

BARA: Heavy rain coupled with hailstorm damaged standing crops in Maidan area in Tirah valley of Khyber district on Friday.

The locals said that heavy rain and hailstorm started at 1pm that lashed Malikdinkhel, Karnakhel, Qulakhel, Mirzobekhel and other areas in Tirah. They said the hailstorm and heavy rains destroyed vegetables and fruit, inflicting huge losses on the farmers. The growers asked the government to compensate them for the losses as the would be unable to pay off the loans taken for buying seeds, fertilizer and pesticides.