KARACHI: The theft and vandalism of important equipment of the Early Flood Warning System installed to warn before floods in the upper areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has worried experts. As stated by to the Meteorological Department, several stations installed in various valleys, including Kumrat and Munyal, have stopped sending signals, which has raised fears of affecting timely forecasting of glacial lake outbursts and flash floods. The development has drawn significant attention from observers and officials across the country.

Notable Moments

Understanding what led to this point requires a closer examination of the circumstances involved.

In the program of ARY News, Abhiyaar Saveera, Deputy Director of Regional Meteorological Center Peshawar, Dr. Muhammad Faheem, explained the important things related to the installation of the Early Flood Warning Structure.

He said that this system was installed under the cooperation of United Nations and Green Climate Fund to continuously monitor the sensitive glacial areas.

Compounding the significance of these events, under the project, around 85 modern devices including automatic weather stations, rain gauges, water level sensors and other sensitive devices were installed in 8 valleys.

Performance Analysis

The response from officials, analysts, and stakeholders has been swift and pointed.

He said that equipment was damaged due to floods and weather effects at certain places, but batteries, solar panels, sensors and other valuables were stolen from several places, affecting at least 14 stations and stopping data transmission.

Significantly, according to Dr. Muhammad Fahim, it is a very advanced and expensive import equipment, a fully automatic station can cost Rs 50 to 70 lakh or even more.

Adding to the complexity of the situation, nonetheless, according to him, the authentic importance is not the cost of the devices but their role in protecting human lives, as this system warns the local population before a possible flood.

By the Numbers

The ripple effects of what has occurred are expected to reach well beyond the initial story.

The meteorological department has registered an FIR of the incident while the provincial government and local administration are also monitoring the matter.

Further developments have shed additional light on the matter. however, 58 of the 85 devices are still active and warnings are being issued based on the data received from them.

As the story continues to develop, cloudburst floods in Chilas cause severe damage

What Comes Next

This remains an active and fast-moving story. With significant stakes and wide-ranging implications, the next few days are expected to bring greater clarity on several outstanding questions.