CHITRAL: The flash floods caused by the recent torrential rains have inundated a number of villages situated in the district and disrupted vehicular traffic besides affecting irrigation and drinking water supply facilities.

The torrential rains lashed Sheshi Koh, Laspur, Yarkhoon and Torkhow areas of the district and caused flash floods but no loss of life was reported from any village as the people had already shifted to safer places.

The Drosh-Madak Lusht Road has been washed away in Karas village by the flash floods while the debris has inundated the low lying fields and homes in Sheshi Koh valley.

In Yarkhoon valley, the flood has washed away road in Dizg due to which vehicular traffic to the upper part of the valley and Baroghil has been suspended while the flood has also damaged the fields and fruit orchards.

The villages of Parwak and Nisur Gol were also hit by the rains that brought down the mountain soil in the form of flash flood, which blocked the road to traffic and inundated hundreds of acres of maize and rice crops. The flood rendered many families homeless.

In Torkhow valley, the flood has washed away a bridge in Shagram and disconnected Rech, Khot, Ujnu, Buzund and Washich villages from other parts of the district. Vast tracts of cultivated lands and fruit orchards have been inundated by the flood. The irrigation channels to all the affected villages have been disconnected by the flood, which can cause shortage of irrigation water to the crops and trees.

Meanwhile, the executive engineer of communication and works, Maqbool Azam, told Dawn that work on the clearance of roads in Shagram and Karash Sheshi Koh was started on Thursday and vehicular traffic would be restored by Friday.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2018