Flood swept away almost everything in Frano, a remote village in Gilgit Baltistan in August this year, including Mohammad Naseer's dream of building a new home.
“I had collected Rs100,000 by working as labourer in Karachi,” Naseer tells Dawn . The plan was to build a new home in the village. “But flood washed away money kept in the old house and the land on which I was going to build the new house,” said a sad Naseer.
But outside world hardly noticed his and the tragedy of the people of Frano, the beautiful and scenic 'last' village in Tchorbat valley of Ghanche district, Baltistan – also known as Shyoke valley or Siachen 2. Tchorbat valley is divided into two union councils – Siksa and Frano. The village borders Indian occupied Ladakh as the Line of Control (LoC) is only a half kilometre away.
During a visit to the area, Abdul Karim, chairman union council Frano, told Dawn that on August 17 this year, floodwater and huge boulders, triggered by rain in the mountain stream of Frano, started rolling towards the village at about 3pm. “The dreadful sound of boulders' rolling down created a panic,” he said.
As the flood reached near the village, the villagers evacuated houses. In the meantime, the flood changed its direction from the past traditional stream route and headed towards the town of Farol in Frano. Gushing water washed away half of the Farol town, destroying 14 houses. Thirteen houses were partially damaged. Land was lost, as cattle, including a yak, sheep and goats, perished.
After the floodwater subsided, the people of this forlorn village started counting their losses. The results were heartbreaking.
Flood destroyed crops standing on 268 kanals of land, 561 fruit trees, 2,383 non-fruit trees and 13 cattle-pens in the village. Similarly 3,200 feet water channels, 13-kilometre footway in the mountain nullah, 700 feet water supply channels, and six footbridges were also washed away. Ahmed Cho and Ghulam Mohammad were injured. They were taking things out the house when the floodwater hit and destroyed part of it.
Although the people saved their lives, losing livestock, homes, crops, and trees is devastating. It is like starting the life again, from a scratch. But it was not the first time that Frano suffered so much. In the 1999 Kargil war, the Indian shelling badly damaged houses, trees and standing crops in the village.
Frano, located 9,000 feet above sea level and 170 kilometres from Skardu, had 2,200 people living in 340 houses. The village is linked with a carpeted road with the district headquarter, Khaplu. Men and women together collect firewood for winter and work in the fields in summer. They also supply dumping stones used for constructing houses.
When a natural calamity like flood hits the poor people of this remote and undeveloped village and destroys agriculture and livestock, their source of livelihood, they suffer in silence and without much help. Being a remote part of the district located near the LoC, entry of foreign tourists and foreign NGO officials is restricted.
The people of Frano said the district administration of Ghanche has so far provided them 50 bags of flour, 5kg ration pack, which includes sugar, pulses, biscuits and dates, 10 lanterns and 31 beddings comprising pillow, mattress and quilts. But the village needs much more.
Commissioner Baltistan Division Dr Sajid Chohan told Dawn that the people of Frano urgently need help from the government and the NGOs. “The village is hidden, because of its remoteness.”
The next urgent challenge is coming winter and the most pressing need is shelter. Dr Chohan urged the government and the national and international NGOs for reaching the poor but hard working people of Frano before the winter sets in.