Waterlogged: Nine die as heavy rains continue across province

PDMA says threat of floods looms large in province.

HARIPUR/ GILGIT/ PESHAWAR:

Nine people, among them a child, died in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday as heavy rainfall continued for the second consecutive day, flooding rivers and streams.

Haripur/Karak

Four people of a family, including two women, were killed in Haripur when the roof of their house collapsed in a village.

Police said the family was asleep in the two-room mud-brick house when the roof caved in. Rescue workers pulled them out of the debris and shifted them to the Women and Children Hospital where doctors pronounced them dead.

The deceased were identified as Sadaqat, 24, Fatima, 25, Nazakat, 18, and Shama, 16.

Meanwhile, the rain also damaged several roads and other houses in Haripur district and flooded various causeways due to which traffic remained suspended for hours on GT road near Sera-e-Saleh, Railway Road, Khanpur and Hatar Road.

In another house collapse in Karak, a woman along with her child was killed in the district when their house collapsed in Sur Daag.

Lakki Marwat

The body of a 15-year-old boy was found in River Gambela in Lakki Marwat city. According to Lakki Marwat Deputy Commissioner Abdul Shakoor, a high-level flood was recorded in Gambela River with 39,031 cusecs flowing in the afternoon.

Elum Stream overflowed in Swat, flooding houses situated along the bank. PHOTO: EXPRESS

“Residents of Mohallah Baghbanan, Masozai, Qureshyan, Bilal Town, Khadikhel and Shero Khel have been told to evacuate their houses along with people living in Nafar Khel,” he said.

There was flooding in three villages in the district, Mir Azam Michen Khel, Painda Michan Khel and Sarkati Michan Khel, after River Kurram overflowed.

Shakoor said 84,000 cusecs was recorded in Kurram River in the afternoon, while the normal flow of the river is 20,000 cusecs.

Around 10,000 people are expected to evacuate their residences in the area if heavy downpour continues for the next 24 hours.

“The district government has made arrangements for the people who left their houses. They will be given shelter in government schools,” Shakoor said.

Swat

At least two people were reported dead in Swat when floods triggered by heavy rain hit parts of the valley. One person was found dead in Kabal tehsil, while another by the bank of River Swat near Gogdara.

A high-level flood was recorded in Elum Stream which destroyed over five houses, inundated dozens of villages and killed several animals.

The torrents also affected major bridges in the valley, including Matta-Khwazakhela Bridge which had to be closed down for traffic.

Similarly, the water level in Swat River increased and water entered areas close to the river.



The areas worst affected by Wednesday’s flooding include Shagai, Faizabad, Citi Mohallah, Chinar Colony, Makan Bagha, Landeykas, Marghazar Town, Bandai, Bashigram and Rahimabad.

Swat Additional Assistant Commissioner Imtiaz Hussain told the media all necessary arrangements had been made to tackle the situation.

Shangla

Flash floods hit Shahpur area, washing away Swat-Bisham Road near Ranyal. In Khan Khawr, flash floods in streams destroyed over a dozen water mills and small power generating dams, while the KKH remained blocked at Shang area. Many houses on the outskirts of Shangla were damaged, but fortunately, no casualties were reported.

Bannu

Floodwater partially damaged Tangi Bridge in Bannu which connects the district to Miranshah, headquarters of North Waziristan Agency. A local official said floodwater hit the bridge and surrounding areas in the morning. Repair work was underway when this report was filed.

According to an official of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, the threat of flooding is still looming in the province as more rain is expected in Hazara, Malakand, Kohat and Bannu in the next few days.

Gilgit

Landslides blocked the Karakoram Highway (KKH) and other roads in Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) as monsoon rains lashed the mountainous region for another day.

According to Zahir Khan, a police officer at Chilas control room, traffic between Gilgit and Rawalpindi was suspended after landsides blocked the KKH in three places in Tata Pani, Diamer valley late Tuesday.

In Ghanche area of Baltistan, a river overflowed causing water to enter houses and shops and standing crops to be swept away.

In Skardu, part of the highway connecting Skardu with Gilgit was washed away at Hoto.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 15^th, 2013.