BUNI (UPPER CHITRAL): Because of the climatic changes, people in Upper Chitral district have been facing a variety of natural calamities and disasters during in this year starting with unexpected rains and glacier outburst floods (GLOFs) and flash floods.
So far this year, there have been intermittent disasters and emergency situations as a result of flash floods, landsliding and glacier out bursts/eruptions leading to loss of human lives, livestock, complete or partial damage to community owned physical infrastructures (houses, roads, drinking water supply irrigation channels, protective bounds and hydel powerhouses) standing crops, fruit and forest trees.
Majority of these infrastructures have been damaged beyond repair by the communities, thus requiring total reconstruction.
The torrential rain and glacier outburst incidences have completely destroyed electricity transmission lines, and electric poles in different villages and Reshun, Charun, Junali Koch, Buni, Parwak, Awi, Khuzh, Brep, Pavur, Mastuj, Laspur, Khot, Rech and Terich villages are most affected and where people are living under the open sky.
Biyar Local Support Organization (BLS) in a report presented an initial assessment of the situation and resource requirement for relief and rehabilitation of affected communities.
BLSO, an umbrella organization of village, women and other civil society organizations, appealed to donner agencies to provide immediate relief and help the community in rehabilitating the damaged houses and infrastructure.
Situation analysis
District Upper Chitral is situated at a distance of about 430 km to the north of Peshawar, the provincial headquarters of the KP province. Total estimated population of the district Upper Chitral is 375,000, residing in 50,000 households.
It is the peak season preparation of wheat, maize and rice crops that remained in the open field that may have been damaged altogether.
Similarly, farmers particularly women who are commercially growing vegetables such as onion, radish and turnip are suffering due to shortage of water.
According to the initial assessment, people in most of the area have become homeless. Hundreds of kutcha houses are partially demaged in different villages due to glacier outburst and heavy rains which continued for many days.
As per assessment, the following items are urgently needed by the affected population:
•Food items
•Tents/shelter
• Water filter kits
• Installation of latrines
•Clothing (women and children)
•Kitchen utensils and stoves.