ABBOTTABAD: Torrential rains wreaked havoc across the district on Friday, claiming the life of a schoolgirl and causing widespread damage to property.
The incident occurred in Galiyat, where a 10th-grade student, Ayesha Zulfiqar, was swept away while attempting to cross an overflowing seasonal stream near Tajwal village.She was accompanied by her sister and a schoolteacher, both of whom sustained injuries.
Locals later recovered Ayesha’s body.The injured were taken to the Basic Health Unit Tajwal, which was found locked, leaving them without immediate medical attention.The downpour, which continued for the second consecutive day, resulted in flash flooding in multiple areas.
Abbottabad city was severely affected as almost all main roads were inundated, creating flood-like conditions throughout the area. Particularly hard-hit roads included PMA Kakul Road, Mirpur Mandian Road, Supply Road, Karakoram Highway (KKH), Sethi Masjid Road, Iqbal Road, Banda Dalazak, Banda Khair Ali Khan Road, Trakana, and the Link Road near Cena Laboratory.
Most drainage systems were clogged, leading to rainwater overflowing onto the streets and entering into the houses and damaging household goods, furniture and other items.An alarming situation developed at the Ayub Teaching Hospital and Ayub Medical College complex, where floodwaters entered the premises, turning the main garden into a pool.
Public criticism mounted against the three main civic agencies including Water and Sanitation Services Abbottabad (WSSA), Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA), and the Cantonment Board for their failure to take preemptive measures despite timely warnings issued by the National Disaster Management Authority.
No visible drain-cleaning campaign was carried out ahead of the monsoon spell, exacerbating the crisis.Traffic remained paralyzed for hours, especially on the KKH in front of Ayub Teaching Hospital, where swift water currents swept away several vehicles or rendered them inoperative due to accumulated mud and debris.Residents demanded urgent action from local authorities to clear the drains, restore traffic flow, and improve disaster preparedness to prevent future tragedies.