Flood warning equipment stolen in Kumrat, Mankial valleys

PESHAWAR: Parts of the early flood warning network installed in glaciated areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have been damaged or stolen in the Kumrat and Mankial valleys, disrupting the transmission of flood-related data, including alerts linked to glacial lake outburst flooding, according to officials and correspondence cited in reports.

Officials said around 14 early warning system units in locations across Kumrat Valley in Upper Dir and Mankial Valley in Upper Swat had stopped sending signals to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. The missing or damaged components included solar panels, batteries, snow sensors, solar wiring, and wind and water sensors.

A PMD official said most of the destruction had occurred in Kumrat Valley, while a smaller number of installations in Mankial Valley were also affected. He said the devices had recently been repaired or replaced, but such incidents were occurring repeatedly. He also said local residents were blaming one another for the damage.

The official added that 85 early warning systems had been set up last year in glacier-prone parts of the province, including Chitral, Upper Dir, Swat and Kohistan, under the UNDP’s Glof-II project in collaboration with the Ministry of Climate Change and the PMD.

Defence ministry raises concern

In recent correspondence, the Ministry of Defence expressed concern over repeated vandalism and asked Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah to take action against those involved. The letter, referred to earlier communication on logistical support from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government for restoring Glof-II early warning systems and on the safety and sustainability of equipment installed under the project.

The letter stated that, following special directives from the prime minister, the PMD and the Ministry of Defence had launched an emergency operation to restore damaged hydro-meteorological early warning installations. Field visits and inspections had found multiple sites badly vandalised.

"During the visits and inspection, multiple Early Warning System (EWS) installations were found severely vandalized and damaged. The incidents include theft of batteries, solar panels, logger boxes, satellite communication components, support structures, and deliberate destruction of installed equipment,"

The letter said most of the affected stations had later been rehabilitated by the PMD and that incidents of damage and theft had been reported to local police.

Water gauge station destroyed

Authorities also recently found a Water Level Gauge Station destroyed beyond repair. Officials said similar cases were observed during field activities carried out on May 6 with support from the district administration in Kumrat-Swat, Matiltan-Swat, Rehsan-Booni, Chitral and nearby areas.

Officials said the repeated vandalism had underscored the need for stronger community ownership, involvement and participation if the restoration and long-term functioning of the warning system were to be protected. They warned that without such support, the infrastructure would remain exposed to theft and sabotage, undermining timely flood and disaster warnings for local communities.

They said district administrations, relevant departments and local authorities should be directed to improve community awareness and encourage active public participation in protecting the installed systems. The PMD has also formally asked the provincial government to strengthen coordination between district administrations, local law enforcement agencies and the department to improve security for the installations.