According to NDMA official, after the 5.8 magnitude earthquake on September 24, heavy damages were born by districts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and district Jhelum.
The authority’s National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) was activated after the quake to deal with the complaints and queries of victims for 24 hours, he added. He said the NDMA had extended non-food items to the quake-victims in AJK whereas procured food items were also sent by the authority.
He told APP that the purpose of NEOC was to coordinate disaster facing communities with quarters concerned to resolve their problems. NDMA had provided relief items to the earthquake survivors from its available stock of resources kept in the warehouses.
However, it had been observed that the people had been registering complaints whereas the officers on duty were facilitating the masses. According to the authority’s report on damages situation due to earthquake, as many as 39 persons died and 746 were injured.
Around 4,556 houses got damaged out of which 512 were severely damaged and 4,044 partially damaged houses whereas the life and property losses were noted in Bhimber, Mirpur districts of AJK and damaged houses were reported in Jhelum district. Around 141 private and government buildings were reported to be damaged in the incident out of which 9 damaged completely and 132 got partially damaged, 200 light traffic vehicles got smashed and 580 cattle head lost was reported.
The relief items dispatched by NDMA, PDMAs of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and SDMA included 5,030 tents including 769 shelter tents and 420 school tents, 6,700 blankets and quilts, 2,500 tarpaulins, 260 plastic mats, 200 first aid kits, 475 kitchen sets, 200 hygiene kits, 800 mosquito nets, 5,475 ration packs (21kg) and 50,000 water bottles (1.5L). Moreover, 200 hygiene kits, 200 jerry cans, 200 gas cylinders, 200 search lights, 200 water coolers and 400 mattresses were also given in the relief items.
The emergency operation centres of NDMA and AJK’s SDMA were kept active round the clock for coordinating response operations in the affected areas. On the directions of chairman of NDMA eight field teams had been deployed in the earthquake affected areas to conduct on-ground damage need assessment and to undertake direct coordination with relevant authorities.
It added that medical teams from PIMS consisting of nine doctors, three paramedics, three ambulances and 200 basic life saving medicines and surgical kits were deployed to Mirpur district and affected areas. Polyclinic had mobilized a portable X-ray machine for use at DHQ Hospital Mirpur to help diagnose patients.