Thousands displaced in Chitral, Gilgit floods

CHITRAL: Nine people, including six children, were killed on Tuesday while thousands of people were rendered homeless and massive damage was caused to property in Chitral and Gilgit due to floods which the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Provincial Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Settlement Authority (PaRRA) blamed on the Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF).
Authorities are struggling to cope with the Chitral flood situation, as two more villages were inundated in the upper parts of the district on Tuesday.The floods hit Rayeen and Bombagh villages, destroying standing crops and at least three houses.
The recent floods have affected over 300 villages in the largest district of the province so far.The people of four tehsils were cut off from the rest of the districts after the floods washed away bridges and roads.
With the destruction of the alternative road on the Kosht side, the whole of Upper Chitral from Koragh to Broghal has been cut off from the rest of the country.With no other option, people were seen traveling over the mountain in the south of Koragh where the gushing water had washed away a portion of the Chitral-Mastuj Road.
The same situation prevails in Garam Chashma tehsil where floods have washed away a eight-kilometer portion of the road.People complained about the unavailability of wheat flour and other essential items in Booni bazaar and the situation was even worse in other parts of Mastuj subdivision, including Torkhow and Mulkhow and the Yarkhun valley.
Meanwhile, Corps Commandant Peshawar Lt-Gen Hidayatur Rehman visited various flood-hit areas, including the Kalash valley, Koragh and Garam Chashma, and met the affected people. Addressing a gathering in Koragh, he said the army was trying to provide all possible help to the valley’s people.
“I have great attachment with the people of Chitral, as I belong to Gilgit-Baltistan. I know the sufferings of the people,” he maintained.He said the army had diverted resources, including machinery and helicopters, besides providing monetary assistance to the institutions concerned so that relief work could be started.
Gen Hidayat said two army helicopters would remain in Booni to airlift the stranded people from Upper Chitral.Meanwhile, the PakistanArmy continued rescue operation on the sixth consecutive day in Chitral where army and Frontier Corps (FC) with the help of civil administration distributed 16 tonnes of ration, said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement.
The troops also evacuated more than 73 stranded people from Garam Chashma, Koragh and Bamburet to safer places. The Frontier Corps have donated 100 tonnes of ration and food items for the flood victims of Chitral.People also complained that shopkeepers had started hoarding, anticipating severe shortage of commodities, as there was no hope of reopening of Chitral-Mastuj road in near future.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and Provincial Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Settlement Authority (PaRRA) Tuesday claimed that the glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) was behind the ongoing devastations in Chitral.
In a statement, the PDMA said on the night falling between 15th & 16th of July, and again on 19th July, different parts of Chitral district were hit by the GLOF.It carried massive torrents and flash floods washing away villages, access roads, bridges, drinking water supply systems, public/private property and agricultural crops.
The PDMA said this phenomenon was unusual. However, due to climate changes, districts in the north of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — Mansehra, Chitral, Battagram, Kohistan, Torghar and Shangla — are prone to such incidents of GLOF.
It claimed these districts were already sensitised by the NDMA & PDMA during various phases of monsoon contingency planning. In Chitral, three people have so far been reported dead in different incidents of houses collapse, it said, adding, the exact number of injuries cannot be ascertained due to inaccessibility of different affected areas.
“The rain spell is on and the district is expected to receive more rains in the days to come,” the communication added. The PDMA said the main issue being faced was of access to the affected areas due to destruction of road infrastructure.
It said currently several areas had been cut off from main Chitral town including Kalash valley (25,000 people), Garam Chashma (60,000), Upper Chitral (Booni, Mastuj, Mulkow, Torkhow & Yarkhoon with estimated 200,000 population.
It said the above population had been cut off from main Chitral for the last one week.The chances of food shortage in these areas cannot be ruled out if this disconnection continued.The district administration and C&W Department have mobilised local contractors and available earth moving machinery to clear roads and restore traffic on the roads.
Ayun-Dobash Road has been washed away at Oshan-Dobash and Dobash to Ramboor road has been partially washed away. Other damaged roads are Birir valley road, Garam Chashma Road, Chitral- Booni Road at Koragh village and Shishikoh to Madaklasht Road.
Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government Tuesday approved Rs140 million for rains and flood-hit areas of Chitral district.Briefing the media persons about the Chitral flood situation here, Minister for Information Mushtaq Ahmed Ghani said out of the total approved amount, Rs100 million would be spent on restoration and rehabilitation of infrastructure, while Rs30 million would be spent on restoration of water supply schemes and Rs10million on restoration of irrigation schemes in the district.
The minister explained that a total of 26 villages had been affected by flash floods in the district.He said the government departments had launched relief and rescue operation in the affected areas of the district. “However, the officials are facing difficulties in relief operations due to inaccessibility of the affected areas,” he added.
The minister said the Upper Chitral had been disconnected with the rest of Chitral as a portion of road had been wash away by floods near Kuragh. He said efforts were underway to restore the road.
The minister said around 500 food packages had been dispatched to flood affected areas of Chitral on July 20, while 500 food packages would be dispatched today.
NNI adds: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Tuesday expressed grief over the loss of life and property in Chitral floods and directed the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to reinforce relief and rescue efforts in coordination with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) and other departments concerned.
Former President Asif Ali Zardari has expressed profound grief over the loss of precious lives and damages to property in flash floods.
In a message, Zardari said he was grieved to learn about the havoc caused by floods in Chitral and Gilgit and called upon the authorities concerned to take urgent steps to alleviate the sufferings of the people.
He also condoled with the bereaved families over the death of their loved ones.“Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families,” he said.Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari Tuesday expressed grief over the loss of human lives and damages to property in Chitral floods.
In a press statement, Bilawal condoled with the flood-affected families and emphasised quick relief work in the affected areas of Chitral and other parts of country.He also directed the Sindh government to take proper measures to minimise loss of lives and property.
He said as per weather forecasts, floods may hit lower parts of Sindh and the catchment area of Indus River and therefore the administration needed to stay alert until the last flood streams flowed into the ocean.He also directed the authorities concerned to monitor sensitive points of the Indus and strengthen all dykes.