Thick snow covered mountain peaks and disrupted communication in Shangla and other regions in what locals called the “heaviest snowfall in a decade”. PHOTO FAZAL KHALIQ/EXPRESS
Five members of a family were swept away by a flash flood in Pandak union council of Haripur district Monday afternoon, said the police.
Those feared dead include a mother and her two sons. Police and rescue workers have launched a search operation to recover the missing people. Witnesses said all the victims are close relatives hailing from New Abadi Mohallah, Khokhran Talokar, and were returning home when the causeway, popularly known as Soka, overflowed and swept them away.
Only one of the victims has been rescued so far, said eyewitness Nazir, adding the other five people have yet to be found. Those still missing are Imtiaz Bibi, 45, her two sons Shahzeb, 14, Abdullah, 11, and their relatives Ajaib Bibi, 48 and Saeed, 6. Saeed’s father Jameel was rescued.
Deputy Superintendent Police (DSP) Tariq Khan said police teams have been dispatched to the area. He said the flooded causeway was the biggest impediment in the search operation.
Meanwhile, torrential rains and heavy snowfall also lashed other parts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, leaving commuters wading through knee-deep water in some areas of the provincial capital.
Some of the worst affected areas of the walled city were Haji Camp Bus Terminal, Sher Shah Suri Road, Qissa Khawani Bazar, Mohallah Jangi, Gulbahar, Shaikhabad, Pipal Mandi and Lahori Gate, where sewage water brought commercial and other activities to a standstill.
The meteorological office has predicted more rain in the city and surrounding areas. According to the department, 98 millimetres of rain was recorded in Peshawar during the last 36 hours, while humidity remained at 100% till Monday evening.
“We need boats to access our buses,” retorted a bus driver, Muhammad Ayaz, while pointing towards the filthy water accumulated at the Haji Camp Bus Terminal.
In Kohati, Shahi Khatta, stagnant water forced people in nearby shops and houses to vacate their premises and move their valuable belongings to safer places.
“We are mentally prepared to deal with such situations. Whenever the city receives heavy rain, drainage water overflows from Shahi Khatta,” said Jan Mohmand, a roadside vendor near Kohati Gate.
Long queues of vehicles could be seen on both sides of Grand Trunk (GT) Road early Monday morning as commuters waded through standing water near Sher Shah Suri Chowk, Arbab Sikandar flyover and Gora Qabristan Chowk.
The roof of a veranda collapsed in the suburban area of Khadra Khel Khazana injuring five labourers. The men were rushed to a hospital where their condition was said to be stable, said Rescue 1122 officials.
In other parts of the province, snowfall disrupted communication and mobility as locals from Shangla and Swat districts dubbed it “the heaviest snowfall in 10 years”.
“We have vacated our houses and shifted to safer areas amid fears of avalanches. The jeep rally which was to be held today (Monday) was also postponed,” Nazir, a resident of Kalaam bazaar, told The Express Tribune via phone. He added several utility poles had been uprooted as a result.
Another resident of Kalaam, Syed Zameen, said the roads connecting Madyan to Kalaam, Gabral, Utror and Ushu valley had been blocked because of snow. “Up till now, 36 inches of snowfall has been recorded in the lower parts alone, while it could be nearly double of that near the peaks.”
People in Malam Jabba were also confined to their houses as main roads leading to the area were rendered inaccessible due to accumulated snow. Locals complained authorities had taken no steps to clear the area or restore electricity supply.
Secretary to Deputy Commissioner Ziaur Rehman said snow ploughs have been dispatched to clear the Swat-Shangla road, Yakhtangey and Chakeysar areas.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 5th, 2013.
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