Villagers asked to leave mountains: Aziz visits Alai, Mansehra
By Our Reporter
ISLAMABAD, Oct 25: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday asked people living in mountainous regions of quake-affected areas to descend to the valleys as aftershocks continued to rattle Alai and adjoining places in Battagram district.
The prime minister, during a visit to the area, said the move would enable the people to have access to relief goods.
He was informed that the aftershocks had destroyed thousands of houses and displaced a large number of people.
The prime minister was told that a number of villagers had descended to lower grounds while others were being asked to leave their mud-houses for the relative safety of the valley.
Officials are considering evacuation of the population in view of the alarming situation arising out of emission of blue smoke and reports that mountains in the area have skidded by about two metres.
Over 2,000 aftershocks have been felt in Alai over the past two days and a mountain is reported to be spurting dust.
Meanwhile, Pakistani army helicopters began transporting tents, supplied by the International Organization for Migration, to Alai which has been cut off by landslides triggered by the tremors.
APP adds: “We will provide you shelter, food, medical care and schools for children and the weather will be more bearable,” Prime Minister Aziz told a group of people in Alai.
“It will get very difficult for people to live without shelter once the temperatures drop and it is not possible to construct houses in a few days,” he said.
The prime minister said: “We are sending teams of seismic experts and geologists to survey the area and to identify any specific reasons which cause these aftershocks and tremors.” He said the government would share the information with the people.
On complaint of an elderly man that many people in the area had not received tents, Prime Minister Aziz said providing tents in Alai was the top priority of the government, followed by meeting people’s needs for food and medical care.
He said hectic efforts were being made to open roads but intermittent landslides were a problem.
He said that in view of the inaccessibility of the area it was better if people moved out to tent villages set up in Mansehra, Haripur and other places, particularly during the winter.
The local military commander told the prime minister that people would initially be shifted to the valley and then to Thakot, Havelian or Haripur.
The prime minister had to cut short his trip because of rain.
Later, addressing a gathering at the Mansehra Stadium, the prime minister said the government had started assessment of the property destroyed and the reconstruction and rehabilitation phase would start soon.
He said rehabilitation was a gigantic task. He reiterated that the government would look after the survivors, particularly orphans.
Prime Minister Aziz, accompanied by NWFP Governor Khalilur Rehma, Chief Minister Akram Khan Durrani, federal Education Minsiter Javed Ashraf Qazi, Health Minister Nasir Khan and Saudi Ambassador Aswad Al Asseri, handed over compensation cheques to heirs of the victims.
The prime minister visited a field hospital run by Saudi Arabia, Italy and Switzerland.
Talking to journalists, he said there was urgent need for artificial limbs, wheelchairs and crutches for those whose limbs had to be amputated. He said the government had ordered that no-one should be allowed to alight fire in the tent villages.
ISLAMABAD, Oct 25: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Tuesday asked people living in mountainous regions of quake-affected areas to descend to the valleys as aftershocks continued to rattle Alai and adjoining places in Battagram district.
