Gilgit:
In the wake of devastating floods in Gilgit-Baltistance (GB) Ghizer district, the closure of 63 schools, originally ordered until August 25, has been expanded as relief and rehabilitation efforts continue.
GB government spokesman Faizullah Faraq said schools in Ghizer had been closed due to the destruction caused by floods, adding that the closure can be extended further depending on the situation.
He said a relief has been created in Talidas, where the disaster management authority has already delivered more than 150 tents to the displaced families.
According to the spokesman, over 300 lunches have been distributed among the flooded people in Talidas along with more than 150 kitchen kits and hygiene kits.
Auxiliary positions also include over 150 tarpaulins and shades, more than 150 plastic mats, over 150 water cooler and more than 2,000 bottles of mineral water.
Faraq added that the artificial lake formed in Talidas after the floods are monitored daily. Medical teams and ambulances have also been deployed by the provincial government in the affected areas to ensure timely assistance.
Meanwhile, officials said that several areas of the Ghizer district have been cut off in the last five days as the efforts continue to clear the Gilgit-Handur road.
The majority of Ghizer’s areas have remained stranded after five kilometers of the main road was submerged by an artificial lake formed in Raushan village. Nearly 300 houses were damaged by the glacial flood, while homes in Hakis, Thangi and Raushan villages remain underwater, and the residents are fighting without basic necessities.
Similarly, Karakoram Highway at Hassanabad Hunza has also remained blocked for three weeks after flooding from Shishper Glacier submerged part of the road.
The closure has been serious difficulties for Hassanabad’s residents, while dozens of homes, agricultural areas and public as well as private infrastructure have been damaged.
Mental toll of disaster
A statement from the GB government confirmed on Tuesday that victims of recent floods, especially women, children and the elderly, suffered from mental and psychological stress.
A meeting chairman of further secretary of the Social Welfare Department Arif Tahseen was held with senior officials from government and private institutions to tackle the case.
The meeting focused on developing a coordinated strategy for mental health and psychological rehabilitation in the affected areas.
Further secretary Tahseen said that the recent floods have not only caused physical and financial destruction, but also left deep emotional and psychological effects.
