Heavy rain causes devastation in Abbottabad

ABBOTTABAD: Most parts of the city were submerged, especially localities adjacent to the busiest Karakoram Highway (KKH), after continuous heavy rain, causing widespread devastation throughout the area on Sunday.

The persistent downpour disrupted normal life and left scenes of destruction and financial loss worth millions of rupees. Flash floods inundated most parts of the city, including Supply Bazaar, Sethi Mosque area, Jhangi Qazian, Jhangi Saydan, Sir Syed Colony, Sarban Chowk, and the small industrial estate, where furniture and household items were swept away, alongside damage to buildings. Several vehicles were also reported damaged, swept away in flash floods in the Sethi Mosque nullah. Main roads such as KKH, Murree Road, Kakul Road, Mandian, Supply Bazaar, and a link road were blocked, disrupting all kinds of traffic.

Similarly, connecting roads in Galiyat, Havelian, Thandiani, and Lora were destroyed by heavy rain-induced landslides, and flash floods. Several areas have been declared disaster-stricken zones. The calamitous rains led to hundreds of vehicles being stranded on various roads as flash floods inundated them. The heavy rains disrupted the lifestyle of residents, with many makeshift houses destroyed by floods. The Small Industrial Estate also resembled a swimming pool as Jab Nullah water spread to the industrial estate. Efforts were underway to provide relief and support to the affected communities as they coped with the aftermath of the destructive weather till the filing of this report. According to old maps of Abbottabad, the city had three main drainage lines, including Jab Canal, Mirpur-Jhangi Jab Canal, and the Main City-Jab Canal, besides other ravines in the old city. Most parts of the Jab Canals have been encroached, and their width reduced.

Jab in the city has also been encroached, and shops/plazas have been constructed there. The entire link road starting from Sarban Hotel to District Headquarters Hospital faces an ugly situation during heavy downpour as the main nullah has been encroached upon.