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THE CALAMITY

The spring and summers of 2010 heralded return of the normalcy as the people of

Swat celebrated the seasons. As peaches started ripening in the orchards, the monsoon

arrived as usual. Summer rains are the most beautiful phenomenon of the valley. It is the

time when people flock to Swat to escape the sweltering heat of plains. This year was no

different. Hotels of Swat were filled with tourists and the season was at its peak. But the

nature had different designs.

Heavy rains started on 27 July. The downpour continued for two days resulting in

unprecedented floods never witnessed by the valley. The normal summer flow of River

Swat is usually from 40000-50000 cusecs. The last benchmark floods in 1929 brought 1,

70,000 cusecs in Swat River. But, the intensity and havoc caused by floods this time

broke all records. On 29 July 2010 2, 50,000 cusecs of water was flowing down the

Swat River.

The serene Swat River turned into a ferocious monster trampling everything which

came in its way. Within hours the heavy torrents which started from the mountain

ranges swept all the bridges on the River Swat from Utror to Chakdara. Population on

the west of River Swat was totally cut off from the rest of the country. More than fifty

bridges including that on River Swat and on streams in adjacent valleys were destroyed.

The main road from Mingora to Khwazakhela, which leads to Madyan, Bahrain and

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Kalam, was swept away at many places. Entire sections of the road from Fatehpur till

Madyan were gone. In the northern region three lakh people and thousands of tourists

were stranded. Telephone and electricity networks were completely destroyed. 146

power projects were ruined. The worst hit were the hotels built along the banks of

River Swat. Many were totally washed away. About 150 hotels were destroyed, some

totally disappeared. Many lives were saved by the army troops who on receiving the

news of torrents gushing down from Kalam managed to get the hotels vacated just in the

nick of time. At many places tourists could manage to leave the hotels only in the clothes

they were sleeping. More than 30 people died.

At least 37 interlinking bridges between communities were damaged

disconnecting the roads within different parts of Swat making any road transportation

impossible. Flash floods caused severe damages to housing infrastructure as well. A large

no of houses were destroyed, at places whole villages were wiped out. Aproximately,

more than 4000 houses were affected. Agriculture land and orchards along River Swat

and other Streams were completely washed away. The whole valley was paralyzed.

The nature had mercilessly erased smile away from the face of Swat. After

three days overflowing the water channels reverted to normal flow but the landscape had

totally changed. With almost all the basic amenities like electricity, telephone, and water

supply gone the valley gave a look of a war torn territory. Numerous challenges included

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evacuation of stranded tourists and people, provision of food, rations and medical care to

the cut off areas, restoration of basic infrastructure including opening of roads,

construction of bridges, restoration of electricity and telephone and rehabilitation of

displaced people confronted the authorities. Fear of famine and epidemics loomed over

the flood hit areas. Immediately, the political and army leadership visited the area to

grasp the immensity of the disaster. Relevant instructions were issued to join the battle

again.