Nature’s fury: Fresh deluge kills 18 in Chitral

Over 600 houses washed away in district; countrywide downpour forecast

CHITRAL/ GILGIT/ SUKKUR/ PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD:

At least 18 people – including eight members of a family – were killed as fresh flash floods washed away 606 houses in Chitral district on Saturday, according to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Three villages in Mor Kaho were destroyed in Friday night’s heavy rains and the ensuing floods. “Ten people were killed in Sehot village of Chitral district and eight of a family in the Atwal area of upper Chitral, taking the death toll to 30.”

Officials said rescue teams and the locals were searching for the missing people, adding that the washing away of link roads had made the rescue efforts challenging. The PDMA says that at least 50 areas have become inaccessible because of the destruction of the Mozgul bridge during the floods.



Meanwhile, provincial Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak ordered a comprehensive survey of Chitral to identify flood-prone areas and vulnerable infrastructure. Damaged roads and bridges are being repaired on a priority basis in a bid to restore the communication link of the flood-hit areas with Chitral, he added.

Regarding people’s empowerment at the local level, he said that in addition to the self-generated financial resources available to the newly-elected Chitral local government, the provincial administration would disburse Rs900 million to it.

Relief activities

The military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said 200 tents and 30 tonnes of food rations had been provided to the flood-hit people in Chitral. Moreover, a C-130 aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) carrying relief goods, including dry ration and mineral water, landed in Chitral on Saturday. According to a PAF spokesman, the aircraft also evacuated 46 flood survivors on its way back to the PAF Base Nur Khan.



G-B disaster

Flash floods early Saturday morning hit Bargo valley of Gilgit, washing away bridges, roads and damaging water channels. “At least four bridges were washed away by the floods,” a resident named Habibur Rehman told The Express Tribune.

He said the floods also damaged water channels of two hydel power projects, disrupting power supply to the valley. “Large portions of roads and land were also damaged.”

Flash floods also destroyed 15 houses in Dodeshal Valley of Diamer and damaged the roads leading to the valley.

Niat Valley of Diamer was also hit by floods and disconnected from the rest of the district. Roads, bridges and irrigation channels have been washed away, according to initial assessment.

High flood in Sindh

A high flood carrying 510,000 cusecs of water is expected to pass through Guddu Barrage late Saturday night, and it might rise to 525,000 cusecs within the next 24 hours. The water level will start receding after that, said Sukkur Barrage Chief Engineer Wali Mohammad Naich.

“However, with the fresh spell of rains expected to start on Monday, the water level in the rivers of Sindh might rise, depending on the monsoon’s intensity.” He added that after the high flood passes through, there would be no flood for the next 10 to 12 days.

Heavy rains across country

The Met Office has forecast that strong monsoon currents are likely to penetrate the upper parts of the country during the next three to four days and that they might interact with the westerly wave over upper K-P, upper Fata, upper Punjab, Kashmir and G-B from Sunday to Tuesday. Widespread, heavy rains are expected in these areas during this period.

Strong monsoon currents are likely to penetrate the southern parts of the country from Monday to Thursday. Widespread, heavy rains are expected in Sindh, southern Punjab, eastern Balochistan and southern K-P during this period.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2015.