Addition to humans and material losses, the August 27 devastating floods have made havoc to livestock and poultry sectors in Khyber Pakthunkhwa where over Rs2 billion losses were estimated by the livestock department till date.
Breaking the 30 years floods record, the devastating flood that started from Kalam Swat and passed through different districts including Dir, Malakand, Mohmand, Charsadda, Nowshera and DI Khan had swept away hundreds of thousands of buffalo, cows, sheep, goats and poultry inflicted colossal losses to farmers and livestock growers.
Destroying poultry and livestock shelters and farms, the gushing water has inflicted damages to 727,144 livestock in the country including 202,593 in Punjab, 500,000 in Balochsitan, 15,008 in Sindh, 8,771 in Khyber Pakthunkhwa, 772 in Azad Jummu and Kashmir since June 14 till August 29, 2022.
Livestock and poultry sectors in Swat, Dir, Charasadda, Nowshera, Tank and DI Khan were badly hit by flood water of rivers Swat, Punjkora, Khayail, Kabul and Sindh, taking away shelters of animals and poultry in a jiffy.
“I had received prior information about floods threat, however, I did not take it seriously as night was around the corner,” Muhammad Sohail, a livestock farmer of flood hit Mohib Banda village of Nowshera told.
“Alas, I should have taken the flood threat issued by the district administration seriously and avoid huge financial loss by saving my buffalo from being washed away in flood water in River Kabul,” the 28 years old cattle farmer told APP with sobbing eyes.
