PESHAWAR, June 14: Many villages in Charsadda and Nowshera districts were inundated and 10 houses in Kalam valley washed away on Friday after the River Kabul and the River Swat burst their banks.

According to local officials, access to around 45 houses in Tapo Sardar area in Charsadda was cut off after the flooding in the River Kabul.

The teams sent in by the Charsadda and Shabqadar district administrations evacuated the marooned villagers in boats to safer places. Local assistant commissioner Nek Mohammad told Dawn that the situation in the flooded areas was under control and that all local residents had been pulled out.

He said water level in the River Kabul at Sar Daryab and the River Swat at Khialay was receding and therefore, there was no imminent threat of flooding. There are reports that some other villages on the bank of the River Kabul in Jambatti, Sarwani, Shah Barha and Awanabad areas are also affected by the flooding in the river. The people of these villages and adjoining localities have either fled their homes or are planning to move out.

In Nowshera, officials of the district administration claimed that the situation was under control though the River Kabul water flow increased in the day.

Assistant commissioner Sikandar Zeeshan said floodwater had reached Shaheedabad inundating a portion of Gandery Road and several houses.

He, however, said the situation was under control.

The assistant commissioner said around 30 local families had been shifted to Government Primary School, Sis Mandi before being given food and other necessary goods.

It is learned that the floodwater had entered Camp Koroona through culvert under the Motorway. However, all culverts were blocked with sandbags to block flow of water towards the village.

The administration issued notices to the people of Dhobighat and Nowshera cantonment areas to vacate their houses forthwith as floodwater could enter their homes anytime.

In the day, many residents of Shelakhel, Manakhel, Dagikhel, Moomin Gahri and Camp Koroona left their houses after taking necessary goods along. Others are likely to follow in a day or so.

In Swat, at least 10 houses were washed away by the floodwater, while a portion of Kalam Road was closed to traffic due to high flow of water in the River Swat.

Of the destroyed houses, seven were in Utror Union Council and three in Kalam valley.

However, no damage to human life was reported as the residents of those houses had already left to safer places.

The local administration also closed a portion of Kalam Road to traffic after high flow of water in the river.

Meanwhile, work to repair Gyeman Bridge in Khwazakhela and Ayub Bridge in Kanju, which were damaged by the flooding in the River Swat of late, is in progress.

Gyman Bridge is likely to be opened to traffic shortly.

The River Swat was flooded for the last few days due to which the administration of district Swat had already evacuated the houses near the bank of the River Swat and started work with the support of the Pak Army to restore communication channels damaged by floods.

When contacted, assistant commissioner of Mingora Farrukh Attique said work to repair Gyeman Bridge and Ayub Bridge had been underway since they were damaged.

He said Gayeman Bridge would be re-opened to the traffic in the next four to five days, while repairs to Ayub Bridge would take more time.

“We have no heavy machinery to remove the damaged portion of Ayub Bridge, so we called in heavy machines for the purpose. The machines will reach the site today (Saturday) and thus, speeding up repairs,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Flood Cell of the provincial irrigation department on Friday afternoon said the River Kabul in Warsak and Nowshera was in high flood discharging 103960 and 156700 cusecs of water respectively.

It said the River Panjkora in Dir, the River Shah Alam in Takhtabad, the River Adezai on Adezai Bridge and the River Naguman on Charsadda Road were in medium flood discharging 28715, 9825, 54991 and 18793 cusecs of water respectively, the River Indus in Tarbela, the River Swat in Khwazakhela and Amandara Head Works, the River Swat on Charsadda Road and Kalpani Nullah at Risalpur Chowki were in low flood discharging 329100, 24529,29723, 24173 and 12030 cusecs of water respectively.

The relevant Provincial Disaster Management Authority officials told Dawn that there was no threat of flood and the unit was monitoring the situation. They said the District Disaster Management Unit set up at the main PDMA offices was monitoring the situation.

The unit was set up to put in place an early warning system and coordinate with the deputy commissioner of the districts prone to floods.

The official at the unit said the people living close to the river banks had been informed about possible flooding.

He said in Charsadda, around 35 houses in Jalbela and Mian Gujjar villages were at the risk of being flooded.

Also in the day, provincial Governor Engineer Shaukatullah paid a surprise visit to the Met Office in Peshawar and took serious note of the relevant officials’ failure to ensure the timely dissemination of correct information about floods.

A handout quoted the governor as expressing concern over the Met Office’s poor functioning with regard to the maintenance of data and dissemination of correct information to the general public and relevant departments and agencies. He directed the officials to improve the efficiency of the Met Office and make its provincial and subsidiary system fully functional without delay.