MIRPUR: Even though the people of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) affected particularly badly by Tuesday’s earthquake are facing a host of problems, the authorities have decided not to set up a tent village because the number of such people is not too large.

On Wednesday morning it was feared that the destruction caused by the quake was widespread, but by noon it had become clear that the situation was not as bad as initially thought as the problem was confined to certain areas only.

In the morning a member of the AJK’s cabinet told Dawn that a tent village would be set up near the famous shrines in Khari Sharif because they are on the main road leading to Mirpur city and because the area can house several hundred people.

But after collating data from the relief agencies and other departments concerned, the district administration decided not to establish any tent village; it was decided, instead, that tents would be provided to the people whose houses had either been destroyed or damaged badly.

This would allow the affected people to live near their houses and to keep an eye on their belongings that in many cases are lying in the open, said Mirpur assistant commissioner Yasir Riaz.

After assessing the damage caused by the quake, the relief agencies said that of the 250 houses in the cluster comprising Saang, Mora and Kikri villages, some 50 were damaged seriously and declared unfit for residing.

“The situation is slowly returning to normal. There is no panic among the people now while in the morning they were quite worried about possible aftershocks,’’ Mr Riaz said.

A team of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) brought around 200 tents and the district administration about 400 tents for distribution among those who didn’t want to leave their houses.

A full-fledged relief operation commenced on Wednesday morning, when the locals were joined by personnel from the government agencies, including the army and various NGOs.

“There is no water supply as electricity has been cut off since Tuesday evening and the pumps are not working. Besides, many of the people have not eaten anything so far and it is lunch time,” said an army captain supervising the relief work.

“While other agencies, including civil defence personnel and teams from the NGOs, are interacting with the locals, it has been decided that only army men will move goods out of the severely damaged buildings or rescue anybody found trapped under the debris,” he added.

The assessment of damage was conducted by teams from the civil defence department and volunteers of the Salvation Army.

AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider visited the worst-hit areas of Saang, Pind Zafarwal and Jatla to monitor the relief work.

Several well-off individuals from Mirpur city were distributing cooked rice in small packets. NGO Kashmir Orphans Relief Trust established an open kitchen.

Drinking water was provided by Muslim Hands. “Our volunteers are giving water to those who are visiting us and also giving 10-litre cans to those who want to take water to far-off places,” said Raja Arslan from the NGO.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2019