Flash floods in streams, nullahs block roads

CHITRAL: Rain after a prolonged dry spell caused flash floods in nullahs and streams in different parts of Chitral on the second consecutive day on Sunday.

As a result, roads to different sub-valleys of Lower and Upper Chitral were blocked, Rescue 1122 and Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA).

The PDMA said it had cleared debris from three points on Garam Chashma after flash floods on Saturday and the work was underway to open the valley.

Rescue 1122 said its staff helped the driver of a vehicle that was stuck in flash flood debris at Bohtuli area of Lower Chitral.

The floods also blocked the main Chitral-Peshawar road near Chumarkhon, Bakrabad and Baradam and was later reopened. 

According to media reports, the flash floods damaged at least six houses in Denin village of Lower Chitral.

The floods washed away bridges, orchards and channels in Booni, forcing the inhabitants of low-lying areas to shift to safer places.

Several houses were destroyed and cattle perished when flood hit far-off Terich village.

Moreover, scores of houses and standing wheat crop were damaged in Tordeh area of Chuinj near Mastuj.

The rain-triggered mudslide also blocked the main Mastuj road in Junalikoch while there were also reports of flash floods in Terich and other areas. 

Glacial lake outburst, cloud outburst and flash floods usually hit Chitral in the summers. In July 2015, floods caused extensive damages to houses, mosques, bridges, roads, irrigation and water channels.

The communication infrastructure was also severely affected. Fortunately, in all this devastation, human loss of life has been minimum with only two deaths reported so far.

Water level in River Chitral at different locations is rising with continuous rainfall or due to heatwave when there is no rain. Embankments at vulnerable points are required to protect communities from overflow of river and nullahs in the above mentioned affected areas. 

The local administration is in dire need of technical expertise and heavy machinery from the National Highway Authority to augment efforts to keep roads in Chitral open.