BY: SHAHZAD NAVEED
SAWAT: Widespread power and cellular outages have hit Swat district after devastating floods severely damaged critical infrastructure, officials confirmed Saturday night.
A spokesperson for the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) reported that floodwaters breached the crucial 132 KV Swat Grid Station, forcing a complete suspension of power supply across 41 major feeders serving the district. This has plunged large areas into darkness.
The damage is extensive. Sixteen electricity poles supporting the feeder line to the popular tourist destination Malam Jabba were washed away by floodwaters, the PESCO spokesperson added.
Compounding the crisis, the cellular network has collapsed in multiple parts of Swat. This blackout stems directly from the prolonged power outage and flood-damaged roads. Cellular towers rely on generators that require regular refueling, but the cut-off roads are preventing fuel tankers from reaching the sites. With generators unable to run, the towers have shut down, severing communication lines for residents and emergency services.
