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| August 05, 2006 | Saturday | Rajab 9, 1427 |
Rains claim 42 lives within two weeks
ABBOTTABAD, Aug 4: The plight of earthquake survivors in Balakot, Garhi Habibullah and Siran Valley continues as torrential rains and landsliding have claimed 42 lives during the last 15 days, besides inflicting heavy material losses on the people who are already shelterless.
Most of the casualties have been reported in Siran Valley.
There has been hardly any relief for quake survivors in these areas as they are facing almost the same ordeal they faced on October 8, 2005 - the day the deadly earthquake hit the northern parts of the country.
Suffering from shortage of food, blankets and other essential items, about 90 per cent of the people are living in tents or temporary shelters. With cracks on roads in most of the areas still to be plugged, communication links have been severed, making the relief work and supply of food even more difficult.
Due to landsliding, the main road from Mansehra to Balakot, Naran and Kaghan is closed at several points.
Even though additional engineering units of Pakistan Army have been assisting the local administration in Garhi Habibullah, Balakot, Mansehra, Siran Valley and Galyaat to restore communication links, recent rains and heavy landsliding are repeatedly delaying the completion of the job.
Most of the people had set up their tents near the river or nullahs so that they can make use of the flowing water for domestic purposes and get relief from the heat as well.
The district administration has also set up a tent village at Jaaba where more than 150 families from Gul Dheri displaced from the recent rains and floods are being shifted.
Business activities in Garhi Habibullah and Balakot have come to a grinding halt. Almost half of the old bazaar in Garhi Habibullah was washed away by flood water a few days back. Struggling for their lives, the residents of Balakot cannot even think of involving themselves in any business activity.
The district administration has warned the people living in the earthquake-affected areas to stay alert as Met office has forecast rains during the whole of the next week. Those who have set up their tents near the Kunhar river and Khutta Khawas, Sher Nala, Darra Shoal have also been advised to move away as early as possible.
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