Floods hit Kalash Valley and adjacent areas, resilient community fights back amid widespread destruction

Gul Hamaad Farooqi

Chitral, August 26: Floods have hit several village of Chitral District during the past three days. Several houses, a Madressah, channels of power houses, shops, a water mill, standing crops and other landmarks have been destroyed.

Mumuret village of Kalash Valley was hit by a flood on August 24, causing damages at a large scale.

According to SHO Police station Ayun heavy flood hit Bumborat and its surrounding area, causing severe damages water head of Krakal  power house, Gambak irrigation channel, micro hydro and irrigation channel of Brone, as well as protection wall at Brone. The protection wall at Brone, however, saved the village from major destruction.

19 houses were partially damaged. The same village was also hit by floods last year but the local people had reconstructed their houses in the flood hit regions.

A jeep able bridge at Wadus village of Bumborate and Pedestal Bridge at Bronthal also got damaged. Protective wall of Shotar has been damaged and the village, with its Madrasseh, Primary school, cropped fields, orchard and houses is highly vulnerable to further destruction.

The flood damaged two shops, belonging to Abdullah and Fazlur Rehman at Shekhanandeh village, along with their houses located in the vicinity. Main Masjid (mosque), Madrasa and jeep-able bridge were also partially damaged in this village.

Cultivable land of two persons at Aneesh village of Bumborate (Kalash valley) were also ruined by the floods. People of Shekhanandeh and other villages including women folk are busy in restoring their roads, water-supply infrastructure and construction of protective walls and embankments near a river, on self-help basis.

A number of people hailed efforts of Ayun and Valleys Development Program (AVDP) a local support Organization for construction of embankment on Bumborat river, resulting in protection of the communities. They demanded that donor agencies should provide funds to such effective LSOs for long term development.