Ghalanai - The heavy spell of monsoon rains coupled with winds washed away several roads, and bridges and damaged standing crops and vegetable fields in four tehsils of Mohmand tribal district.
The residents of the area told The Nation on Monday that flash floods triggered by heavy rain hit the tehsils Halimzai, Pandiali, Khwezai and Baizai the toughest by washing away several fields of coriander, maize crop and vegetables. The locals said that natural calamity had caused them huge financial losses.
They demanded of the provincial government and district administration extend them financial assistance, as these crops and vegetable fields were the only sources of their livelihood. They urged the government and relevant agriculture and irrigation departments to build protection walls along the waterway to protect their fertile lands from floodwaters.
The farmers also complained that they had been suffering such losses every monsoon season for several years, but the relevant authorities had turned a deaf ear to their miseries.
Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Relief & Human Rights Muhammad Qamar confirmed the damages caused by rains and said that most of the affected agricultural fields were located along the canals and rivers and they had no arrangements to protect their fields from floodwaters. He said that the damage to 18 Kanal coriander crops was reported, however, further reports were still being collected.
Mr Qamar said that at least 50 yards of the links road between village Qasim-Tabr and Sikandar Khel in Pandaili tehsil got damaged due to flash floods. “Protection side-wall of a bridge was also washed away in the flood. A total of 8 out of 54 rooms of houses were completely damaged while the rest were partially damaged”, informed Mr Qamar. However, no loss of life was reported.
The ADC also said that assessments are underway and updates will be shared with PDMA for compensation, and urged upon the people to register their losses/damages applications with concerns Village Councils/ Assistant Commissioners within three days.
It must be mentioned that after 12 years, all the check dams including Pandaili Dam, Chanda Dam and Gandao Dam were filled with rainwater during the monsoon. The ADC asked the locals and farmers to adopt precautionary measures against floods without delay to prevent the loss, as more rainfall is expected, he added.
The residents of the area told The Nation on Monday that flash floods triggered by heavy rain hit the tehsils Halimzai, Pandiali, Khwezai and Baizai the toughest by washing away several fields of coriander, maize crop and vegetables. The locals said that natural calamity had caused them huge financial losses.
They demanded of the provincial government and district administration extend them financial assistance, as these crops and vegetable fields were the only sources of their livelihood. They urged the government and relevant agriculture and irrigation departments to build protection walls along the waterway to protect their fertile lands from floodwaters.
The farmers also complained that they had been suffering such losses every monsoon season for several years, but the relevant authorities had turned a deaf ear to their miseries.
Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Relief & Human Rights Muhammad Qamar confirmed the damages caused by rains and said that most of the affected agricultural fields were located along the canals and rivers and they had no arrangements to protect their fields from floodwaters. He said that the damage to 18 Kanal coriander crops was reported, however, further reports were still being collected.
Mr Qamar said that at least 50 yards of the links road between village Qasim-Tabr and Sikandar Khel in Pandaili tehsil got damaged due to flash floods. “Protection side-wall of a bridge was also washed away in the flood. A total of 8 out of 54 rooms of houses were completely damaged while the rest were partially damaged”, informed Mr Qamar. However, no loss of life was reported.
The ADC also said that assessments are underway and updates will be shared with PDMA for compensation, and urged upon the people to register their losses/damages applications with concerns Village Councils/ Assistant Commissioners within three days.
It must be mentioned that after 12 years, all the check dams including Pandaili Dam, Chanda Dam and Gandao Dam were filled with rainwater during the monsoon. The ADC asked the locals and farmers to adopt precautionary measures against floods without delay to prevent the loss, as more rainfall is expected, he added.
