PESHAWAR: About a dozen persons are feared to have been washed away and hundreds rendered homeless due to heavy rains and ferocious floods in the mountainous rivers of Malakand, Dir and Chitral. According to reports received here today [July 23], eight persons, including one woman and one child, are reported to have been swept away by the floods in tributaries of the Panjkoora river. …

Yesterday’s rains, according to reports, were the heaviest during the season in Dir and Kohistan besides Chitral, which damaged and washed away the road between Malakand and Dir and Chitral at several points. The worst hit area was near Qashqari resulting in suspension of road traffic between Dir and Chitral. It is stated that repair of the road will take no less than three or four weeks. … The Deputy Commissioner, Dir, and other officials have reached the scene of disaster and are providing immediate relief to the homeless sufferers. ...

Meanwhile due to heavy rains, all the Rivers of Peshawar are in high flood. The city was inundated yesterday for several hours, affecting the lines of communications, telephone and telegraph wires and the power supply.

Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2020