Rising floods threaten Chitral, calls grow for river protection walls

CHITRAL: Residents and experts in Chitral have called for the urgent construction of a continuous chain of protective bulwarks along the Chitral River, warning that intensifying floods driven by climate change are putting entire communities at risk.

Stretching roughly 400km from Broghil Valley to Arandu near the Pak-Afghan border, the river has seen a sharp rise in flood intensity over the past two decades. Accelerated glacial melt linked to climate change has led to severe erosion, with low-lying villages and nearly one-third of cultivable land in areas like Ayun already lost.

Several المناطق including Yarkhun Valley, Biyar Region and Lot Koh Valley have witnessed widespread destruction, while in Lower Chitral, settlements such as Ayun, Drosh and Khairabad face recurring threats of displacement every summer.

Former MPA Syed Sardar Hussain Shah criticised the lack of long-term planning, saying proposals for large-scale protective walls during his tenure were never implemented. He warned that with only a small fraction of land suitable for cultivation, continued inaction would have devastating consequences for local livelihoods.

Environmental experts have also raised alarm. Ecologist Hamid Mir noted that the region’s more than 500 glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, increasing the likelihood of glacial lake outburst floods and extreme river surges.

He cautioned that without permanent flood protection infrastructure, the frequency and intensity of flooding will continue to rise, potentially wiping out historic villages across the valley.

Residents fear that unless immediate steps are taken, the unchecked force of the river could permanently alter the region’s landscape and displace countless families.