8 killed in DI Khan, Kohistan floods

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Four persons were feared dead after flash floods washed away a truck near Sawan Bridge on Dera Ismail Khan-Zhob Highway while hundreds of houses and shops were destroyed in the torrents from the Sulaiman mountains range and mountains in Tank district on Thursday.

The floods also washed away hundreds of cattle, households, and grains in the villages located along the banks of rivers, nullahs and seasonal streams.

A brave cop Ashiq Din risked his life and saved three siblings comprising a sister and two brothers from being drowned in flooding in the Darazinda area while a woman sustained serious injuries in a roof collapse in Kiri Khaisoor. The siblings were later handed over to parents.

The floods from Tank district after causing destruction in most parts of the district, including Yarak Rodikhel, Pasha Muqeem Shah, were now moving towards the Indus River.

The bank of Chashma Right Bank Canal on the western side was breached to save the population from flooding .

However, the canal burst out due to heavy floodwater that destroyed houses and crops in parts of Shorkot and other areas. A number of other areas, including Dera-Chashma road, Mandra Saidan, Rodgamal, Phota village, Hathiala-Kulachi road, Daraban, Girah Mada, Girah Khan, Gandi Ashiq, Paroa and others were affected by flooding.

Dera Ismail Khan -Tank road and Dera-Zhob were closed for traffic due to flooding .

The flood affectees were still living under the open sky in Paroa, Mabara, Bhotisar, Girah the Khan, Kot Tigga and other areas.

The affectees complained against the government and the opposition parties indifferent attitude.

They said that the recent torrential rains and the subsequent floods had destroyed their houses, cattle and crops and now they had nothing in their hands to tackle the situation.

They said they were going through a difficult situation but the officials of government departments were busy in photo sessions to show their efficiency.

The victims lambasted both the government and opposition parties for the prevailing political wrangling, ignoring and leaving them in the lurch.

Our correspondent adds from Mansehra:The flash floods triggered by the continuous rains played havoc as four people drowned, and roads, vehicles, hotels and water supply schemes were swept away in Upper and Lower Kohistan districts of the Hazara division on Thursday.

“Five people were trapped in a jeep after the Dubair stream suddenly swallowed and inundated the entire area but one of them managed to flee and the rest were swept away by the flooding water,” Shamsul Haq, an eyewitness told reporters.

He said Rescue 1122 and locals were taking part in the search operation to fish out the bodies of the victims.

Those who drowned were identified as Mohammad Anwar, Mohammad Riaz, Mohammad Bilal and Mohammad Fazl while Obidullah Waris was rescued.

“This is one of the heaviest floods we have ever experienced as the jeep was also swept away and couldn’t be traced even after travelling miles by foot,” the eye-witness said.

He said that the Jijal water supply scheme and a portion of the link road, which connects three widely stretched union councils with the Karakoram Highway was also washed away.

The district administration established a tented village in Chakai post at the Karakoram Highway to provide displaced families with shelter and food.

“Deputy Commissioner Shakeel Khan and I visited the tent village where the families displaced because of the flash floods would be accommodated and provided food and other necessities,” Zulfiqar Khan Jadoon, the district police officer in Lower Kohistan, told reporters.

He said that the search for the bodies of the four people, who had drowned in the Sanagai area of the district, was underway. In Upper Kohistan’s Akhand Nullah two hotels and as many vehicles were swept away by the flash floods.

The monsoon rains intermittently lashed Mansehra, Torghar, Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan and Kolai-Palas districts, triggering floods in Indus, Kunhar, Siren rivers along with nullah and streams in the Hazara Division.