Yet again: Floods in Chitral trigger damage

No casualties reported; livestock, infrastructure adversely affected

CHITRAL: Widespread flooding triggered by heavy rain and thunderstorms in Ursoon and Ushriat areas of Chitral on the Pak-Afghan border has resulted in considerable property and infrastructural damage.

A large number of roads have been swept away and numerous houses have been damaged in the recent deluge.

Locals told The Express Tribune on Wednesday mosque was damaged and powerhouses and residential areas were adversely affected. They said livestock suffered huge losses, but casualties were not reported till this report was filed.

Muhammad Qahar said three of his shops were washed away. Another man in Ushriat reported his farm house was wrecked by the floods. A majority of roads were clogged with traffic. Cars moved at a snail’s pace as traffic was disrupted for eight hours.

“Around 65 houses in Morkahu have been declared highly risky for people to continue living in as the level of the river in the area had increased due to a glacial lake outburst flood,” said Suhat Village Council naib nazim Mehboobur Rehman.

He maintained the same villages were damaged in the 2015 floods. He added residents had pressed the government to provide steel fences. However, these requests had fallen on deaf ears.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 23^rd, 2016.