Thursday, August 5, 2010

Shabqadar Tehsil

The floods have caused massive destruction in the Shabqadar Tehsil. 

Some of the villages like Beila, Beargarhi, Sadagarhi have been completely wiped out. Hundereds of people have become homeless and have lost many loved ones. The irrigation system has been completely destroyed. Two of the main canals (upper Swat & lower Swat) have been heavily damaged and the crop fields are also completely lost. Many people have lost their live stock; one of my relatives in the neighboring village has lost 13 of his cows. 

Three of the main bridges connected Shabqadar to Swat and Charsadda have been heavily damaged; Munda bridge and Serkh bridge have been completely wiped out and Khyali bridge has been severely damaged. 

There is no provision of any form of aid from the government as yet. There is severe shortage of food, drinking water, medicines and shelter. Rescue efforts from the government are also very poor. The people are doing what ever possible on a self help basis. The villages which are located higher up on the mountains have been spared from the floods and have taken many people in from surrounding villages and are providing them with food and shelter. 

Al-Khidmat Foundation has been very active in the Shabqadar area; they distributed medicines worth Rs 70,000 today and are also helping people to find shelter and food. Teachers and other community members are also very active in doing relief work. A meeting was organized for the teachers and the heads of schools in one of the private schools. The teachers have been assigned different areas where they will be carrying out their relief activities. 

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