Rain-triggered floods continue to batter KP

CHITRAL/PESHAWAR: At least six houses were destroyed in Chuinj village in Upper Chitral as rain-triggered floods continued to batter parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday.

The flood in Shan Gole hit Chuinj village early in the day after breaking the embankment, destroying six houses as well as standing crops and orchards.

“We have suffered huge losses. My house was destroyed while five other houses of my relatives also submerged in the early hour’s torrent,” Akbar Ali, a former union council member, told reporters.

Akbar Ali said they needed immediate relief as the floods had destroyed their belongings and they had no other option but to spend the night under the open sky amid heavy rain. The floods also blocked the road to upper parts of the Yarkhun valley.

Also, the authorities had failed to repair the main bridge in Mastuj. The furious river had made a breach at the unpaved side of the bridge, prompting the authorities to close vehicular traffic on it.

The authorities have diverted the traffic to the old route of Taw Bridge. The locals feared the Taw Bridge had been built for light traffic, and it could not withstand the heavy traffic.

“Loaded heavy trucks are being allowed to cross the bridge which can cause a tragedy. The authorities must take notice of the situation and allow only light traffic on it,” said Gulzar Shah, a local activist.

He urged the authorities to repair the Mastuj Bridge as early as possible to facilitate people.