NOWSHERA: Around 350 families have been shifted to safer places after several localities came under floodwaters in the district, official sources said on Sunday. The district received the highest rain during the third round of the monsoon. Highest flood passed at Nowshera in River Kabul, submerging several areas and destroying standing crops. Flash floods inundated Hassanabad, Misalabad, Shaheedabad, Sheikhabad, Azeemabad and Ghanderi localities in Nowshera Kalan forcing 350 families to leave their homes. These families were shifted to safer areas. Colleges and schools at safer places were opened for accommodating the affected families. The sources said that the damage was caused due to encroachments along the Kalpani nullah and the administration’s negligence to conduct desiltation drive. Floodwaters had also submerged villages in Azakhel Payan and Pirpiai. Standing crops and poultry farms were destroyed in the affected areas. District Council members Haji Nowshera Khan, Qazi Wajidul Haq and notables Ijaz Khan and others asked the government to take measure to protect the affected people from waterborne diseases and provide assistance to these people. Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders including Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation Mian Jamsheduddin Kakakhel and Member National Assembly (MNA) Dr Imran Khattak, on the directives of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, visited the flood affected areas in the district. MNA Dr Imran Khattak, Provincial Minister Mian Jamsheduddin Kakakhel, Member Provincial Assembly Idrees Khattak and Pakistan Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Amir Afaq also visited the flood affected areas in Pabbi and Nowshera tehsils and assessed the damage. The chief minister had directed them to assess the damage and complete rehabilitation work on emergency basis. Pervez Khattak also directed them to provide food, medicines and clean drinking water to people of the flood affected areas.
