WATCH - Glacial outburst sweeps away two bridges in Pakistan's Chitral

Islamabad: A glacial outburst (GLOF) swept away two suspension bridges near the Arkari village in the Garam Chashma area of Chitral on Thursday, Dawn reported.

GLOFs are sudden events, which can release millions of cubic metres of water and debris, and can cause loss of lives, property and livelihoods among remote and impoverished mountain communities.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa confirmed the incident, adding that teams have been dispatched to the area to help locals who used the bridges to cross a storm drain flowing underneath.

Chitral PDMA focal person Rasheed Khan said that so far no loss of life or damage to any other infrastructure has been reported. The floods, however, damaged wheat and other fruit crops in the area, he added.

The PDMA, Khan went on, has been in constant contact with the district administration and was monitoring the situation in the area. (UNI)