50 houses swept away as flash floods wreak havoc in Upper Kohistan: official

Flash floods triggered by heavy rains caused massive destruction in the Kandia tehsil of Upper Kohistan on Sunday as at least 50 houses and mini power stations were washed away, an official said.

Tehsildar (revenue officer) Muhammad Riaz told Dawn.com that around 50 houses were swept away in the floods, adding that he has constituted five teams that have been dispatched to the affected areas for relief work and the assessment of losses.

A local activist's estimates of the devastation were much higher.

Hafeez-ur-Rehman, a local activist from Kandia, told Dawn.com that a "massive flood" hit two villages in the Kandia tehsil, where he estimated that around 100 houses were washed away, rendering scores of people homeless.

However, no casualties were reported.

He said a large number of cattle were also killed, while water supply systems in four villages — Dansh, Berti, Jashoi and Dangoi — were damaged, though fortunately, families managed to evacuate before the floods reached the villages.

Rehman also shared videos with Dawn.com, shot by locals in the Jashoi area, of houses being completely submerged. In another video, flood waters can be seen raging through a valley.

Rehman said the locals had initially started rescue work and shifted affected families to safer locations.

“Initially we had sent 45 tents and other essential items to the affected families while a team of revenue officers will reach affected areas in an hour to start relief activities,” Tehsildar Riaz said.

Repeated attempts to contact the deputy commissioner and assistant commissioner Upper Kohistan were in vain as their contact numbers remained switched off.

Kandia tehsil was badly devastated by flash floods in 2010, 2011, 2016 and the infrastructure of the scenic valley could not be restored to its pre-destruction phase.