GILGIT, July 2: Light showers on Saturday in Northern Areas dropped the temperature, bringing relief to the people who had been suffering from the terrible heat since a week. In some areas strong winds uprooted trees, electricity wires and pylons due to which the power supply remained disrupted for hours in Gilgit. The water in many streams carried huge silt and water supply to power stations and agriculture lands also affected.

Meanwhile the federal government has assured all help and assistance for the rehabilitation of flood-affected people in Gilgit and Ghizer districts, sources told Dawn.

Northern Areas Legislative Council Speaker Malik Muhammad Miskeen held out this assurance to the people during his visit to the affected areas of the two districts where flood had played havoc with the settlements and standing crops.

The speaker, accompanied by NALC member Dr Muzaffar Relay and Himayatullah Khan, said that the federal government would provide maximum relief to the flood victims.

The speaker said revenue staff was being deputed to prepare a list of damages in the affected districts so that the government could compensate the losses.

He also visited Basin where Gilgit river damaged standing crops, fields, gardens and trees.

He told the people that he would take up the matter with concerned quarters and ensure relief and compensation as early as possible.

He praised the role of armed forces that worked round-the-clock to build protective dykes to stop rapid erosion of soil.

KILLED: A driver was killed and another injured when a truck plunged into the River Indus while making a sharp turn near Thor Nala on Saturday, sources told Dawn.