CHITRAL: Flash floods wreaked havoc in Chitral district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa for the second consecutive day Saturday, with villages Kari, Danin and Ayun besides Koghuzi Valley inundated as the Yarkhun River swelled due to melting glaciers and snow.
Rescue efforts were hampered as bridges in Kari village and Koghuzi Valley were damaged and rendered inaccessible by the flood water. A portion of the Chitral-Booni Road at Nirdeth Gol near Chitral Town was also washed away, cutting off access to the affected areas, local media reported.
Overflowing river water damaged at least four commercial properties and eight more houses while four motorcycles and several farm animals were also swept away by the currents.
Moreover, the flood uprooted four giant poplar trees that had stood tall in the Chitral Fort for centuries. The fort was also damaged by the floods.
The flood had left Government Primary School Pewar and 18 other houses inundated a day earlier.
Thousands of acres of land, meadows and standing crops were reduced to mush as the flood left infrastructural damage in its wake.
The situation has compelled hundreds of residents to flee their homes in low-lying areas, leaving behind their belongings and seeking refuge elsewhere.
The locals need immediate aid and support including tents and food supplies.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) had issued alerts following forecasts from the regional meteorological department of heavy rains between July 13 and 17 across most parts of the KP.
Areas such as Dir Upper and Lower, Chitral Upper and Lower, Abbottabad, Kohistan and Torghar are expected to receive heavy downpours, prompting the need for proactive preparations.
Tourists were also informed about the weather forecasts, and emergency services staff and resources were put on standby to respond promptly to emergencies.
