Troubled flood affected people in Swat await government help

Junaid Ibrahim

SWAT: The northern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are on high alert after heavy rains and urban flooding and the Met Office has forecast more rain for today (Thursday) which means the threat is not over yet.

Rain spells, which started on last Thursday, caused huge destruction in Swat, a local resident of Bahrain told TNN. The volume of the river has increased enormously since Tuesday and local people are helping out each other. He said no aid from government or aid agency has reached the local population.

Bahrain Bazaar trade union president said the situation is alarming as river water has entered hotels and Bazaar’s mosque is also washed away.

“We have evacuated tourists and locals from hotels and houses build on the river and Daral stream. Shops and hotels have been evacuated,” Umar Hadi, a resident of Jail Daral, told TNN.

“It was a very tough and challenging situation to evacuate of people from houses,” he said.

Umar said the local people kept on looking for the government’s help but no one came to them during this testing time. He said the chief minister is from Swat and at least he must take immediate action to save the people from floods.

The deputy commissioner of Swat said the administration has declared emergency in the district. He said one policeman has also lost his life while trying to save other people. He said Rescue 1122 rescued two people who fell into Swat River on Wednesday and still the volunteers and officials are working hardly to recover the bodies of those who were washed away in flood. He advised the people to stay inside their homes and avoid unnecessary travel.

The deputy commissioner said efforts are being made to evacuate all the tourists and other people stranded in the flood situation. He said the flood has caused huge damage in Swat and damage assessment will be made after the situation improves.

Flood in Shagram stream has so far killed at least six people and some others are missing. Rescue operation is underway to recover the bodies and try to save stranded people. More rain forecast means more misery for people who are waiting for government help.