SAID ALAM KHAN
PESHAWAR - Expressing fears of more destruction by floods in next three days, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government Sunday said that at least 32 people have so far been killed in district Chitral alone. Torrential rains and flash floods have also inundated many other parts of the province.
In Peshawar, unrelenting rains have killed a girl and forced authorities to shift 100 families to government schools. Heavy downpour began at Saturday midnight in the provincial metropolis and continued till midday on Sunday, multiplying miseries of the people as streets and roads in low-lying areas were inundated.
Residents of Charsadda Road, Budhnai, Khushal Bagh and Sardar Colony are among the most affected in the provincial metropolis. Water from Budhnai nullah entered into nearby homes. Sensing the situation, Budhnai bridge was closed for all sort of traffic. The affected families shifted valuables to safer places as there was 3 to 6 feet deep water inside in their homes. Around 100 families consisting of around 600 people were shifted to government-run schools.
Unfortunately, a girl fell into the rapidly flowing flooded nullah and died. Encroachments on Budhnai nullah are stated to be main cause of flooding. Rescue operations were carried out in other vulnerable areas as well. Inhabitants of many areas have been asked to shift to safer places as more rain is expected over next three to four days.
Similarly, high level flood has also been reported in river Kabul in district Nowshera, due to which, shops at Kund Park have been flooded, while a ban has been imposed on use of boats in the river. Water also entered a nearby police station, forcing the shift of arms, ammunitions and locked up people to safer places. It has also been reported the water flow in rive Kabul is rapidly increasing.
Meanwhile, at least seven people of same family sustained injuries when roof of their house caved in after torrential areas in district Bannu on Sunday. Damaged by continuous rains, roof of the house of Ibrahim Khan suddenly collapsed at Nay Mir Abbas area in the jurisdiction of Huvaid police station, when dwellers of the house were sleeping. Locals shifted injured Ibrahim and his family members Mehroon, Hafsa, Laiba, Sumiaya, Menahil and Warisa to district headquarters hospital. Two of them were stated to be critical.
Three young boys were swept away in river Indus at Shangla district. Two of them were rescued while the third one was still missing. The youngsters were collecting wood brought by floodwater alongside the shallow sides of the river. But suddenly the flow of water increased and they were carried away with it. Water flow is increasing in the river at Shangla district and local administration has directed people to vacate homes near the river at Besham.
In next four to three days, more heavy rains may generate flash flooding in the vulnerable area in KP as widespread rains with scattered heavy at times very heavy falls are expected in Malaknd, Hazara, Mardan and Peshawar during Monday to Thursday, Met office reported on Sunday.
Staff Reporter from Shangla adds: At least four people including a woman died when their car plunged into an already flooded river in district Shangla here Sunday morning. According to details, a car bearing registration number ICT-061, en-route to Besham from Swat, plunged into Khan Khwar River near Kerai locality. Locals said that car was carrying four persons, a drive, a woman and two others.
Eyewitness said that police said that locals recovered two dead bodies that were identified as Moheed Iqbal, driver, resident of Haripur and Junaid Ahmad, son of Shamsu Deen, resident of Muhammad Pur, district Larkana, Sindh.
Meanwhile, two identity cards carrying names of Ayesha of Larkana, Javid son of Abdul Haq, resident of Larkana, have also been recovered from the ill-fated car. They are stated to be tourists who were returning home from Swat through district Shangla. Police said that search for the remaining dead bodies was going on.