Extensive damages by torrential rains, flash floods: SOS message from Gilgit-Baltistan

Torrential rains followed by flash floods have isolated Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) from the rest of the country, Business Recorder has learnt. Talking to Business Recorder from Gilgit, Minister for Education GB Ali Madad Sher, who is also the spokesman of the GB government, said that extensive damages have been done by the natural calamities and the affected people are in need of an immediate help.
He said the local administration is on a high alert in wake of the catastrophe, however, the administration is also facing difficulties to carry out the relief works in such trying circumstances. He added the area government also lacks the resources to meet this nightmarish situation, and has demanded of the federal government to provide all what is needed to counter it.
He also said it would be an uphill task to restore the infrastructure and the communication system as the degree of damages was very high.
The single land route - Karakoram Highway (KKH), which links the strategically important GB with the rest of the country, has remained blocked for the last ten consecutive days. The blockade has compounded the miseries of the entire area population as they are fast running out of oil, food and medicines in all the seven districts of GB.
Almost all the regions and districts of GB have been cut off from the rest of the country. Districts - Skardu, Ghizer, Ghancha, Astor, Hunza and Diamer are the most affected areas, which have been completely cut off from the rest of the country.
Most of the link roads, bridges and power stations have been destroyed by the heavy downpour followed by the devastating floods, and there seems to be no effective emergency service to handle the situation. Besides, thousands of houses, commercial centres and crops have also been washed out.
District Ghizer, one of the most affected districts where floods have destroyed a number bridges, roads, houses and crops in the last two days, is still deprived of government's attention. Army and the local administration have started relief works only in accessible areas. There is an urgent need of prompt government's attention to those areas of GB where starvation and outbreak of epidemics are feared.
Talking to Business Recorder from different parts of GB, the affected people have demanded of the government to dispatch relief goods at the earliest.