Kohistan admin warns villagers of more landslides

Travellers on KKH also cautioned; landslide blocks Kalam road

MANSEHRA: The administration of Kohistan district on Saturday issued warning to people living near mountains to be cautious of landslides.

The commuters travelling on Karakoram Highway (KKH) have also been warned as landslides have been taking place frequently and rains continued intermittently the whole day.

The police visited villages including lower parts of Kamila and Sheikhabad and asked villagers to be cautious of landslides or get shifted to somewhere else for their safety.

Passengers and transporters stranded between Dassu and Chilas owing to landslides on KKH have also been facing shortage of food and eatables as the strategically important route couldn’t be reopened for traffic at a point on eight consecutive day on Saturday.

Local Ulema and elders of Thor Nullah in Kandia, who had abandoned rescue work to retrieve the bodies of 23 people and offered funeral prayers, declaring buried houses as a graveyard.

In Mansehra district, main Kaghan road and link roads leading to Konsh and Siran valleys are blocked for the last many days as the landslide couldn’t be removed as yet.

The district administration here also issued warning to people who have settled at riversides to be cautious of floods or move to safer places as water level in Kunhar, Siran and Indus rivers has surged in the wake of rain and floods.

Our correspondent in Mingora adds: The Kalam road was once again blocked owing to landslide as intermittent rain continued to lash parts of Malakand division for the second consecutive day on Saturday.

The fresh spell of rain that started yesterday continued as the plain areas received more rain while the mountainous areas received snowfall.

The Kalram road was blocked at Bahrain-Mankial area due to landslide.

The seasonal streams flooded and water level rose in Swat river after heavy rain in the region. The district administration vacated the houses situated on the banks of Swat river and shifted the residents to safer places.

The district administration had also started efforts for reopening the road to the picturesque valley.