Hospital wards, mosque collapse in Orakzai snowfall

HANGU: Two wards in the District Headquarters Hospital and Jamia Masjid in Mushti Mela collapsed due to heavy snowfall in the central part of Orakzai tribal district.

District Headquarters Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Asghar Shah and Rescue 1122 sources said that roofs of two wards on the upper portion of the hospital caved in because of continuous heavy snowfall during the last four days.

He said that heavy piles of over four feet of snow had accumulated on the rooftop of the two wards, which overburdened the structure. He said the wards could not withstand the load and caved in.

He said that they had already shifted the patients to other wards to prevent any casualty. Cracks have also emerged in walls of the hospital wards making the healthy facility a potential threat to the lives of patients, their attendants, doctors and other staff.

The personnel of Rescue 1122 headed by In-Charge Bilal Afridi rushed to the spot and removed the debris and cleaned the hospital. Also, the building of Jamia Masjid in Mushti Mela collapsed due to heavy snowfall in the area.

Meanwhile, the district administration, Communication and Works Department and Rescue 1122 continued work to clear the roads from heavy snow during the last four days. Orakzai Deputy Commissioner Asif Rahim said that personnel of district administration, Communication and Works Department and Rescue 1122 continued activities unabated despite heavy snowfall and cleared the roads. He said that all the roads had been cleared and were now opened to traffic in the district.