Daily Times

PESHAWAR: A new spate of flash floods caused by torrential rains on Saturday wreaked havoc in most parts of the already-damaged districts of Chitral, including Kalash Valley, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, sweeping away dozens of homes and destroying roads and crops.
At least 109 people were killed and 46 injured on Saturday, as floods ravaged different parts of the country, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said. Fifty people were killed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 14 in Balochistan, 21 in Punjab, 19 in Azad and Jammu Kashmir and five in Gilgit-Baltistan as a result of heavy flooding. Around 2,705 houses were also damaged, leaving almost 700,000 people affected.
In Bumburate area Kalash, floods also washed away a traditional maternity home, known as Bashalani, where several women and infants were present.
Local people shifted the newborns and women to safety, while no causality was reported.
The flooding also swept away five hotels, including one managed by Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, seven shops and standing crops in Bumburate and other areas of the valley.
The affected areas in Chitral include Baranis, Mroy, Gahirat, Zaini, Singor and Mozhgol, where initials reports suggest that flash floods destroyed dozens of houses, shops and standing crops. However, no causality was reported.
Heavy rains began late Friday night, triggering flash floods that damaged 15 houses, link roads and bridges in Khot area of sub-division Mastuj, and compelled residents to leave their homes for safety.
Residents also complained of shortage of food, medicines and other basic items due to blockage of roads. Life in sub-division Mastuj, Lot Koh and Kalash Valley has been completely paralysed, as major roads leading to the areas are inaccessible owing to flooding for the past two weeks.
Flooding in Drosh completely inundated the main road linking the area to other parts of the country.
At least 32 people, including women and children, have died since torrential rains began in Chitral almost two weeks ago.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, the most affected areas in Chitral was union council Mulkhow and sub-division Mastuj, where 23 people have been killed.
At least 10 people have died in Saht, eight in Uthol, two each in Broze, Gohkir, and Lone, and one person each in Reshun, Ayun, Hingel, Green Lasht and Warinj.
Floods have also killed more than 3,600 cattle in the affected district until now.