Lightning, heavy rains and flashfloods have wreaked havoc in Gilgit-Baltistan killing 47 more people in the strategically located northern areas in Diamer District on Wednesday. Forty-seven people were killed by hill torrents out of which only 32 dead bodies have been recovered by the area people while 15 bodies are still missing.
The Gais Bala valley of the district, consisting 200 houses, has been almost swept away by the hill torrent following land slides which occurred around 2:00 am on Wednesday, sources in Chilas the headquarter of Diamer said.
The tragic incident has also left dozens of people injured who are also without treatment in the absence of required medical facility in Diamer district, (where the Diamer-Bhasha dam is going to be constructed). However, Pakistan Army has started rescue operation through helicopters to shift the injured people to District Hospital Chilas and District Hospital Gilgit.
The army, according to the sources, was also trying to provide other necessary items like blankets, tents, and other kitchen items to the affected people in hilly areas through helicopters. With houses and other properties, the crops, animals and others holdings have also been washed away in the low-lying valley.
This was the fourth devastating incident in the same district where the death toll has jumped to over 70. At least 11 people in Khinnar valley near Chilas, had also been swept away by hill torrents on Tuesday. The serious threat of expected torrent thrust which has destroyed many villages across Gilgit-Baltistan especially in Diamer, was till there.
The further expected torrent, according to the sources, may directly destroy other villages including Buttar Nallah, Miad Valley, Khandari Nallah and Batogah Nallah of Diamer while displacing thousands of people as it could smash houses, hard worked terraced fields, orchards, whitewood plantation and standing crops in the villages.
On the other hand, the government of Gilgit-Baltistan has initially demanded Rs 4.5 billion from Centre to compensate the victims in the province while restoring the disruption communications system.
Through a summery, the provincial government has forwarded the appeal to the federal government as having no excess to the rest of the country the region was facing acute crisis of food. The early restoration of communication system was the immediate need for the government to even start the rehabilitation works as Karakorum Highway the only lifeline to the people of the region has badly been damaged in various areas, sources added.
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