Damages to infrastructure yet to be estimated, most roads still blocked
CHITRAL: Damages caused roads and bridges snd other infrastructures damaged in the recent rains and floods are yet to be estimated.
It said 12 human casualties had been reported from the valley so far. Severe infrastructure damages, including houses, main roads and other roads leading to valleys and villages throughout Chitral were reported blocked. Most of the population of Chitral lives in vulnerable areas surrounded by stupendously tall mountains.
The statement said Chitral-Drosh road was opened on Feb 5, Chitral-Booni opened for light traffic on Feb 6 while Chitral-Garam Chashma road was cleared 22 kilometres up to Shoghore and the removal of snow on the remaining portion o the road was in progress.
The Chitral-Dir road is still blocked due to avalanches and work is underway to clear it. The tunnel will be opened for general traffic on Feb 10. The road from Booni to Mastuj was cleared up to Parwak on Wednesday while work is in progress to open Booni to Mulkhow, Kosht and Torkhow roads. Mastuj-Yarkhun and Mastuj-Laspur roads are still blocked and work is still underway to clear.
The road to Kalash valley was opened on Tuesday but there was again snowfall on Wednesday. Power supply from national grid and local powerhouse is still disrupted. Restoration work on power supply from the local powerhouse is in progress.
A woman, wife of Mr. Afzal, resident of Gawooch Shishikoh while travelling back to her home was trapped in a snowstorm and died due to severe cold.
A man, Hafizur Rahman of Kashindel Shishikoh, died after coming under a landslide. Earlier, nine people died in an avalanche in the Shershal village of Karimabad while a Chitral Scouts jawan died in Damel.
Meanwhile, residents of Yarkhun valley told ChitralToday that some people of the area used private tractors and cleared the road from Marting to Brep on Wednesday. They said scores of people and taxi drivers from the area stranded in Chitral town for many weeks had reached Parwak on Wednesday evening but were stopped there due to blockade of the road towards Mastuj.
A Potohar Jeep travelling from Bang towards Mastuj could not continue its journey and returned after crossing the bridge near Brep on Wednesday.
WEATHER
The weather remained cold and dry in most parts of the country. However, rain-thunderstorm (with snowfall over the hills) occurred at a few places in Malakand division and Gilgit-Baltistan. In upper Chitral the weather was cloudy while some parts of lower Chitral received snowfall/rain.
Mirkhani received 03mm and Drosh 01mm rain. A temperature of -06°C was recorded by Met Office in Chitral and -04 degrees in Drosh.