08/10/2015
Helping Flood Affectees July 2010:
The flood history shows that Kabul River saw the worst flood in 1929 that inundated major bank areas and wrought havoc to the local residents. Even in 1990, another flood hit the area and caused damage to the property, agricultural land, livestock and life but the scale of damage was not that much devastating. People older the 90 years of age could still refresh the memories of that devastation of 1929 flood. However due to heavy rainfall in the upland districts of Chitral, Swat, Malakand and District Dir, Khyber Agencies, Peshawar. Charsadda, Nowshera and Mardan districts simultaneously caused high flood in the River Panjkora, River Swat, River Kabul and all other tributaries. This time the rainfall (278 mm) was far more than 230 mm in 1929. The simultaneous high flood in all the major rivers not only caused heavy damage to life and property along its banks in Dir and Swat Valleys but at same when all of them converged into Kabul River. It became a devastating roaring wild monster sweeping away and engulfed everything that came along its way. Nowshera main bridge was overflowing and the Railway Bridge downstream was totally drowned in flood waters and so were the adjoining areas.
The flood warning from the department of meteorology could not be translated into real danger symbols by the local administration and even that could not be believed by the local elders and leaders that the expanse of the flood will be of this scale. This was beyond their imaginations. People were caught unaware. That could hardly manage to secure their valuables. It was a too short time to readjust and secure their belongings and carry them to safe places. Eye witnesses reported that people could see their belongings being swept out of their homes in front of their eyes but could not help, while standing on their roof tops waiting to be lifted by the Helicopter or sailed away by some boat. In a matter of an hour, people of the town banking the river were devoid of everything. It was catastrophic and beyond the reach of thinking. People along the River Kabul at this region has never witnessed such a wildest behaviour since time known to the local people and as that recorded by the history.
Hundreds of ZSF volunteer’s were actively participating in rescue and emergency relief operations in collaboration with local authorities and Pakistan Bait-ul-Mall in Charsadda, Mardan and Nowshera Districts. Ten (10) containers of relief goods (Valued Rs. 225 Million) comprising Medicines, Blankets, Mosquito Nets, Clothes, Bed Sheets, Food Stuff, Tents, Carpets, and Mattresses etc. were received from UAE and distributed amongst the flood affectees in the Districts of Charsaddar, Nowshera and Mardan.
ZSF also organized free medical camps (for two weeks) in District Charsadda and District Swat for flood affectees in September 2010.
