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CHITRAL: After a day of respite, a new spate of flash floods caused by torrential rains struck Chitral on Thursday afternoon, leaving two people dead and washing away more than two dozen homes in different parts of the district.
The high-magnitude flood in Chitral Gol stream passing transversally through the city washed away five homes, a pedestrian bridge and two shops, causing panic among people and forcing them to leave the area.
Know more: Torrential rain adds to misery of flood-hit Chitral
Having its origin in the Chitral Gol National Park, the stream was seen carrying with it a large number of deodar logs.
Floods in Kalash valleys of Bumburate and Rumbur swept away four houses and a pedestrian track, inflicting further damage to roads and agricultural lands.
Two people killed, over two dozen houses swept away
An army helicopter rescued at least 24 tourists.
Muhkamuddin, a local journalist who was among the people stranded in Bumburate, told Dawn by phone that the new spate of floods had terrified people as they were fast losing their lands and homes to the flood.
Seven homes were washed away in Lone village in Upper Chitral, four in Nisur Gol of Laspur valley, five in Karimabad village and three in Ayun village.
The deceased were identified as M. Khan, of Ayun, and Asif Ahmed, of Karimabad. Their bodies were retrieved from the flood.
According to residents, a number of Kashmir markhors were killed by the flood. Chitral Gol Community Conservation and Development Association Chairman Hussain Ahmed put the number at eight and said it might increase.
The flood abnormally raised the water level in river Chitral, inundating low-lying villages of Gwari Jughur, Kuju, Ragh, Jinjirate and Drosh.
Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2015
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