July 2015: Floods in Chitral killed more than 31, displaced hundreds of people
Flood damaged a bridge in Reshun, 2015
Editorial Team
With especial thanks to dawn.com
CHITRAL: Raging waves of flash floods that affected swaths of land in Chitral over ten days, killed 31 people in July 2015 and washed away hundreds of homes with no immediate break in sight.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, as many as 70 more houses were demolished in the flood-hit areas in Chitral on Sunday 26 July. Rains and floods washed away more than 300 houses, 25 mosques, bridges, educational institutions, communication equipment and several acres of crops in Chitral — Muzhgol, Warijoon, Saht, Gaht and Kushum, all villages in Mulkhow Upper Chitral, were among the worst-hit villages.
In a tragic incident in Othol, a village in Mulkhow Upper Chitral, 8 of the same family perished on Saturday 25 July when sudden deluge caught the villagers unprepared and they had no time to escape the gushing waters. The deceased were identified as Izharul Haq, Alima Bibi, Anwaz Bibi, Jamila Bibi, Rahimul Haq, Misbahul Haq, Ihtiramul Haq and Ihtishamul Haq.
Haidar Hussain, Khalida Bibi, Shahnaz Bibi, Mehnaz Bibi, Zahid Abbas, Shahria, Naveeda, Javeka, Muhammad Amin, wife of Wali Khan and the wife of Sher Habib died in another neighboring village of Saht.
Major roads remained cut off including Chitral-Booni Mastuj road at Kuragh, Garamchashma-Chitral road, Chitral-Ayun Bumborate road, Booni-Mulkhow and Kosht road and Chitral-Madaklasht road. River Chitral washed away road at Kuragh cutting off Upper Chitral from the rest of the country and people had no option but to traverse a steep mountain to reach Lower Chitral for many days.
As many as nine hydel powerhouses were damaged while the Othol village was completely washed away by floods. At least 10 Mobile Utility Store outlets were established for the affected people. NGOs like Focus (Agency of Aga Khan Development Network) and Alkhidmat Foundation rendered their valuable services to assist people in disaster-hit areas. Over 700 trained volunteers from FOCUS Pakistan’s Search and Rescue, Disaster Assessment Response and Community Emergency Response Teams were immediately mobilised to respond to the emergency. The teams have distributed food items and non-food items including tents, blankets, tarpaulin sheets, family hygiene kits and water purification tabs to 600 families in Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan. Helicopters of Aga Khan Foundation delivered relief packages to flood-hit areas and helped people to commute from the areas cut-off by the floods and river erosion.
Meanwhile, 16 tons of edibles from Utility Stores in Gilgit were transported to Mastuj and Booni by the late July as road from Lower Chitral was washed away by river in Kuragh, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited the flood-hit area in Chitral soon after Eid to personally look at the devastation caused by flash floods. He instructed authorities to transport the affected people to safer places, and ordered food and medical help for them.
The premier announced Rs500 million for the infrastructural rehabilitation of the city. He also announced writing off all agriculture loans of affected areas in addition to compensation worth half million rupees for each destroyed house.
Two C130 aircraft of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) took part in the operation, which besides airlifting relief items to the area, also evacuated 80 persons.
On the special instructions of Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, a Crisis Control Cell was established at Air Headquarters Islamabad to centrally monitor rescue activities being carried out by the PAF.
They have distributed 17.5 tons of ration so far and 164 affected people were rescued via two MI-17 army helicopters from Rumbur, Birir, Bumburet, Kuragh and Garam Chashma to safer places. Participating in the large-scale relief operation, the Cabinet Division set up an emergency cell to mitigate sufferings of the calamity-stricken people.
Meanwhile, a Pakistan Air Force helicopter, engaged in relief and rescue efforts, crashed in the Khot area of upper Chitral on Thursday 6th August, injuring several people. A young boy injured in the incident later on passed away.
Uploaded on 15 August 2024
