MINGORA: The inhabitants of settlements along the the banks of river Swat fear that the rising water level could cause floods in the areas from Ayub bridge to Hayatabad (Fizagat).

Talking to journalists here on Wednesday elders of the area, Sher Yousuf Khan, Haji Fazal Tawab, Rasheed Khan, Abdur Rehman, Attaur Rehman and Bakht Taj said that every year the floods played havoc with the lives and properties of the people, but the government has never bothered to build protective walls along the river banks.