PESHAWAR, June 11: The United Nations Coordination Agency has called for precautionary measures against the increase in the water flow in River Kabul, saying that the areas lying on the river’s bank are at risk of being flooded. According to the figures released by the control room in Warsak Dam, the water flow has increased to 74,000 cusecs, which is considered high flood level.

Quoting the chief engineer of Warsak Dam, a UN official said that there was no flood mitigation system in Warsak Dam and the water which exceeded the reservoir’s capacity would flow downstream.

Officials at the police emergency cell said that they had informed government senior officials regarding the latest situation in areas which were near the banks of the River Kabul, said the UN official.

Earlier in February, hilly areas of the Frontier province, including Kohistan, Mansehra, Chitral and Swat districts, were hit hard due to heavy rainfall and snowfall that left hundreds of people dead and thousands misplaced.

Now, according to sources, another disaster looms large as several parts of central NWFP are said to be at risk of being flooded as the rivers have started receiving greater flow of water because snow has started melting in the upper parts of the province.

“Now that summer is at its peak, the water flow is increasing day by day,” said an official concerned.

According to the chief engineer, the flow of water in the River Kabul was 47,000 cusecs on the afternoon of June 8 which increased to 49,200 cusecs in the evening the same day.

He said that on June 9, the water flow was recorded to be 53,000 cusecs, and added that the people living on the banks of River Kabul had been asked to remain vigilant and be prepared for emergency evacuation.

The areas that are threatened by floods included Mathra in Peshawar, Charsadda, Akora, Khattak, Nowshera, Mardan and Swabi.