26 killed, 50 injured in Swat, D I Khan

Shafi Ullah
MINGORA / D I KHAN: The catastrophe Flash flood in Swat, 14 people including 7 members of the same family were killed due to water overflowing the rails and roof collapse of houses while dozens of people were injured during relief operations.
Roads, bridges, property and communication system were disrupted due to heavy flooding in the Swat river in Kalam, Bahrain and Madyan areas of Upper Swat, most of the areas were forced to live in darkness without electricity. The famous trout fish hatcheries at Madyan were also severely damaged, the government trout hatchery was destroyed, large hotels and people’s houses, shops and other properties in Kalam were washed away, causing losses of crores.
The famous Bilal Mosque in Bahrain was flooded for the third time, the current flood broke the record of the flood in 2010. According to sources, 7 members of the same family, including women and children, were killed when the roof of a house collapsed in Matta tehsil, 5 people including two children were killed when two houses were washed away in Salatanar area of Tehsil Matta and 2 youths were killed due to being washed away in the relay.
After the heavy rains in Swat since the last day, the areas of Amankot, Bangladesh, Lundykas, Faiz abad, Shaheed abad and other adjoining areas were destroyed. After severe flooding in the Swat river, the flood relay caused destruction in Madyan ,Kalam and Tehsil Matta . In upper Swat the main connecting road and bridges were destroyed in Damana area of ??Madyan, while the main Kalam road was submerged and the connecting bridge was destroyed. Tourists in Honey tourist areas were also left stranded.
Compared to the flood that occurred during the year 2010, a 246899 cusecs level of intensity passed in the Swat river yesterday at the place of Khawaza Khela, due to which in the area Mingora Hayat abad and adjacent areas at Fizagat were flooded and people were facing severe problems. On reaching Mingora city, Ayub Bridge and other link roads were closed for relief due to water pressure on the famous Ayub Bridge Kanju due to increase in the flow of Swat River and in view of any possible apprehension. According to rescue spokesperson Shafiqa Gul, more than 1,000 people trapped in Hayat abad area alone have been moved to a safe place. Likewise, rescue personnel in all areas of Swat except Kalam, Bahreen, Madin and Tehsil Matta have rescued not only human beings but also also kept moving the trapped animals to safe places.
On the other hand, in the main city of Swat, Mingora, the victims of the areas affected by heavy rains and floodwaters, Bangladesh, Lundykas, Kokari, protested near Nishat Chowk and Kokari transport terminal on the government’s halt in the rehabilitation works. The protesters said that despite the passage of two days, no relief work has been started in their areas, while breathing has become impossible due to the mud and dirt in their houses.
Meanwhile, the flash floods wreaked havoc in Dera Ismail Khan claiming 12 lives and injuring over 50 others besides also damaging infrastructure in the district.
According to a report issued by Deputy Commissioner Nasrullah Khan, so far the flash floods and hill torrents hurtling down from Koh-e-Suleman Mountain Range and South Waziristan hills claimed 12 lives across the district, including four in Dera Ismail Khan tehsil, two in Kulachi and six in Tehsil Darazinda.
Among the 50 injured across the district, 31 are from D. I.Khan tehsil, four from Paroa, three from Daraban, four from Paharpur, one from Kulachi and seven from Darazinda tehsil. A total of 13,827 houses were damaged and destroyed across the district, including 800 in D.I.Khan tehsil, 4,800 devastated in Paroa, 3,600 affected in Daraban, 3,051 destroyed in Kulachi, 1,484 in Darazinda and 92 in Paharpur tehsil, by the flash floods.
The flood killed 585 livestock in the district out of which 23 animals perished in Paroa, 115 in Daraban, 30 in Paharpur, 55 in Kulachi and 362 in Darazinda tehsil. The report further revealed that the flood affected 58,549 acres of agricultural land in D. I. Khan tehsil, 98,367 acres in Paroa, 33,440 acres in Paharpur, 328 acres in Daraban and 193,606 acres of agricultural land across the district. The relief operations were also underway across the district and different federal and provincial departments were taking part in relief activities.
The district administration distributed 3,884 tents, 3,500 mosquito nets, 1,200 pillows, 2,100 kitchen sets, 620 quilts, 2,450 mattresses, 1,150 water coolers, 75 life jackets, 1,400 plastic sheets, 350 jerrycans, 2,920 tarpaulin sheets and 650 hygiene kits among the flood victims in the district.
The district administration also set up relief camps at Government Degree College (GDC) Paroa, Government Higher Secondary School (GHSS) Ramak, Rural Health Center (RHC) Kirri Shamozai, Government High School Naivelanin Paroa Teshil, GHSS Daraban, GHS Saggu, Tehsil Headquarters Hospital (THQ) Kulachi, Government Degree College (Boys) Darazinda and Ratta Kulachi Sports Complex.
Meanwhile, according to Rescue 1122 spokesperson Aizaz Mehmood, the rescue teams evacuated over 780 people. Teams from other districts had also joined the relief and rescue operation in D. I. Khan and Tank.
APP adds: Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Friday warning heaving level of flood in Khwazakhela, nulls and in river Swat with 227899 cusecs that led to a dangerous situation living near the nulls and river sites. The warning in this connection was also issued by Flood Forecasting Division with the flood level has been recorded at 227899 cusecs and PDMA issued a written directives to district administration of Swat, Dir Lower, Malakand, Mohmand, Charsadda, Mardan, Nowshera and provincial capital Peshawar.
The PDMA also issued instructions to the all respective district administrations to be alert and take up precautionary measures in order to avoid any untoward incident besides taking preventive measures by identifying the population of sensitive areas. When contacted, Deputy Swat Junaid Khan told media that line of sight cleared for ease of traffic in Matta and most of the hotels constructed nearby river Swat were badly damaged and some of them even grounded. He said that the district administration have deployed teams across Swat District to ensure rescue and relief operations for the safety of the people. He said that according to irrigation department officials, more than 0.24 million cusecs crossed in river Swat and warning has been issued to those living nearby the river site to shift immediately to safer places.
He said that such a huge flood in the river Swat, badly damaged bazaars, markets and those hotels constructed at the site of the river. He said the District Administration teams are currently in Kamal, Bahrain, Fizaghat, Mingora Bazaars, Makan Bagh area. He said the Rescue teams of the District Administration besides ensuring relief activities also help in shifting the people to safer points established for the purpose. He said it has also ensured provision of food items and other essential commodities in the areas hit by the flood.
He said teams have also been formed to assess the damages caused due to heavy flooding besides work on restoration of communication and road links in the affected areas.
The District Administration should ensure timely measures to protect any loss of life and property, infrastructure, crops and livestock and directed the concerned administration to continuously monitor the water level in the rivers and their associated streams.
Besides the district administration, the PDMA has also instructed Rescue 1122, Civil Defense and all related organizations to remain alert and ensure the availability of equipment. Guidelines for monitoring and precautionary measures for settlements near streams linked to rivers. The population in sensitive areas should be moved to safe places before an emergency situation arises, the PDMA said. When the official of the PDMA contacted, he underlined the need for timely aid and medical supplies should be provided to the affected people due to the flood.
The availability of food and medicines should also be ensured in the shelters upon evacuation of the nearby population and asked the locals, farmers, herdsmen to be warned in advance to move livestock to safe places. The instructions have been issued to limit the movement of vehicles on highways adjacent to canals connected to rivers and in any case coordinate with the concerned departments for road cleaning.
The people have been asked not to listen to unnecessary rumors, in case of emergency contact the helpline of Rescue 1122 besides the emergency operation center of PDMA is fully functional and the people should report any untoward incident on the helpline 1700. The Rescue 1122 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa relief activities and rescue operations continue in view of the recent rains and flooded roads, Director General Rescue 1122 said in a release issued here Friday. People are being evacuated in Swat, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Upper Dir and Lower Kohistan, DG Rescue 1122 informed. There is a risk of flood situation in southern districts and upper areas, the official of the Met Office said, adding, “The highest rainfall in the last 24 hours is 90 mm on record, 80 mm of rain was received in Timargarh, 71 mm in Kalam, 55 mm in Mirkhani, 54 mm in Malam Jabba and 51 mm in Dera Ismail Khan, Drosh recorded 42 mm, Chitral 32 mm, Balakot 28 mm and Peshawar 7 mm, the official said.