Inundated: Inclement weather takes life, washes away infrastructure

Heavy rain across the province cuts off access to hundreds of villages.

HARIPUR/ TIMERGARA:

Inclement weather across Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) damaged property and infrastructure on Tuesday, claiming at least one life in a roof collapse incident.

According to Lower Dir Assistant Commissioner Muhammad Ayaz, the roof of a house in Maidan caved in early morning due to heavy downpour, killing eight-year-old Azizullah on the spot while two other minors were injured. Owner of the house, Khayal Bacha reported that he and his family members were asleep at the time, adding the injured were shifted to District Headquarters Hospital where they were said to be in stable condition.

Meanwhile, River Panjkora overflowed as a result of excessive rainfall, washing away roads and orchards. Ayaz told journalists the water washed away a major part of Dir-Chitral-Peshawar Road near Zulam Bridge early morning. Subsequently, commuters were stranded as they waited for district government authorities to clear the road.

He said work to open the thoroughfare would be completed by Wednesday morning, adding many water supply schemes have been shut by the government as they are submerged in water. He maintained tube wells installed along the river are also inundated, cutting off clean water supply to the district.

He informed Khal, Rabat, Barun, Timergara, Manjai, Odigram and Hajiabad areas are the most affected, with hundreds of orange orchards washed away.

Landslides washed away the main road connecting Torghar district to hundreds of villages in other parts of Hazara division. Locals said heavy rainfall started four days earlier, resulting in landslides and debris blocking Judba Thakot Road near Kabli Gram bridge Sunday night.

Human rights activist Zahid Khan said Darband Judba Road has also been blocked, forcing villagers to be confined to their homes. He added patients in urgent need of medical attention had no way to reach hospitals.

A villager from Basikhel, Naeem Khan said the landslides have drastically affected mobility in his area. He claimed villagers often reopen the roads, but the heavy downpour had prevented them from doing so this time around.

Sub-divisional officer of the Communication and Works Department in Judba, Shahnawaz Khan confirmed the main Judba Thakot Road was blocked, adding machinery and workforce had been mobilised to open the road for traffic within the next few hours.

Battagram, Kohistan, Mansehra and Abbottabad districts also witnessed landslides following heavy rainfall in the areas.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2014.