In Azad Kashmir, 37 deaths, 450 houses destroyed, more than 500 injured
Muzaffarabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore … News Time
In Azad Kashmir, the death toll has increased to 37 while more than 500 people have been injured. 450 homes were destroyed and 14km of roads were also affected. Due to the destruction of roads, many areas have difficulty in transporting the injured to hospitals. According to the epicenter of the earthquake, 3.2 magnitude aftershocks were felt in Mirpur on Wednesday morning at 9:30 am which caused people to get out of their homes in fear and woke up all night while women and children took shelter in local parks. According to the district administration Mirpur, the road infrastructure of Jatlan has been completely destroyed while the main highway and many bridges along Mangla have been lost. Citizens in the affected areas are suffering. People’s homes and businesses were destroyed while electricity could not be restored. Poles and transformers are lying on the ground while drinking water is also severely shortaged. The underground water has also become dirty and unusable, due to the lack of electricity; the water plants installed in some areas could not run.
Pak Army troops and Punjab Government rescue teams are taking part in rescue operations. Rescue 1122 also has 5 rescue vehicles and other life-saving equipment. According to Deputy Commissioner Mirpur Raja Qaiser, all persons have been evacuated from the rubble while relief operations are underway in the affected areas. They are moving their homes to safer locations, he said. Minor injuries have been relieved after treatment, while serious injuries are undergoing treatment at various hospitals. He said that a large number of people were also injured, but nothing can be finalized about their numbers.
Raja Qaiser said that Pak Army, NDMA, PDMA and other rescue organizations have begun their work and are collecting information regarding the losses. In addition, Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited the earthquake-hit areas in Azad Kashmir and reviewed the speed of relief activities and the repair work of the Jatlan Canal Canal Road. According to ISPR, General Bajwa has directed the military authorities to cooperate with the civil administration. He said that through rapid recovery activities, conditions would be restored soon. The Army Chief directed the best care of the victims and said that the earthquake affected population should be taken into account.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Punjab Sardar Usman Bazdar also reached Mirpur for the relief of the earthquake victims. Usman Bazdar meets Prime Minister Azad Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider in Mirpur and expressed his deep sorrow and sorrow over the loss of life and property caused by the earthquake. Usman Bazdar said that Punjab government has all the resources available to help earthquake victims. He offered full support to Prime Minister Azad Kashmir in relief activities he said that bridges damaged in the earthquake would be constructed soon. Initial steps will be taken to restore the Upper Jhelum Canal. The Chief Minister also visited the District Headquarters Hospital, Mirpur, to assist the injured. Chief Minister Usman Bazdar said that those who were more injured should be shifted to Punjab hospitals for better treatment. Where Kashmir brothers will be treated and cared for free.
