Nowshera looks to pick up the pieces
A girl carries her sibling as she walks through stranded flood water, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Nowshera. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
Nowshera is among the districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) that were severely hit by the massive floods that submerged more than half of the country in August, the after-effects of which continue to be felt in various areas.
Ranging from damaged infrastructure to fast-spreading diseases, the worsening situation requires urgent action from the authorities.
In Manakhel and Nowshera Kalan, the worst-affected parts of the district, floods destroyed houses and shops. Nowshera Kalan was submerged in water due to the breach in a dam, and even though the flood has subsided, the signs of destruction still remain.
Citizens have demanded that the government speed up the cleaning process and compensate them for their losses.
Pointing out the lack of governmental attention towards the restoration of the affected areas, a citizen told The Express Tribune that 8 to 10 feet deep water had accumulated in his area, due to which the dirt and debris are still there.
The citizen said that the activities of government agencies are only limited to main roads when their actual focus should be on areas that are very close to the river and are the most affected.
Floodwater is still present on the main ground of Nowshera Kalan, which has brought all recreational activities of the children in the area to a standstill. It is worth noting here that the ground has been used for political meetings and other activities in the area as well.
Moreover, in the flood-affected parts of Nowshera, the standing floodwater has provided a fertile breeding ground to the mosquitos, due to which dengue, malaria and other diseases are spreading.
The departments concerned are neither working on getting the water out nor are they spraying insecticides to kill mosquitos.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 13th, 2022.