73,000 tonns relief goods distributed among affectees

ISLAMABAD—Pakistan Army and other agencies working to provide relief and rescue have transported around 73,000 tons of relief goods, 453,813 tents and 3,712,306 blankets to the quake-stricken areas of Azad Kashmir and NWFP.
According to the data provided by ISPR, these relief items have been transported to the quake-hit areas by air or by road, till Wednesday. The total weight of relief goods included, 63,037 tons of ration, 3,045 tons of medicine and 7,225 tons of miscellaneous goods. The Miscellaneous goods included, various essentially required items by the quake victims.
In addition to it, the relief helicopters have also dropped 4,150 relief bags in the quake-hit areas. Each of the bag weighing around 25 KG includes, tent, food, and blankets for a small size family. The aircraft and helicopters of Pakistan Army, Navy, Air Force and friendly countries have generated 6,466 sorties for transportation of relief goods to the quake-hit areas and returning with the injured on-board.
These relief sorties were carried out since the October 8 earthquake till date. Those aircraft and helicopters are participating in the relief activity called Operation Lifeline include, Boeing 707, C-130, Fokker, MI-17, Chinook, Black Hawk, MH-53, UH-2H, BELL-412, AB-139, CH-53, Sea King, Y-12, PUMA, MI/MIL-8. Bell-139, MD-900, Kamonove-32, UH-1H, and ALT-III. The civil administration with the help of Pakistan Army has so far distributed Rs.229.525 million among earthquake affectees of NWFP whose houses were either totally destroyed or suffered partial damage, said an ISPR press release. Joint teams comprising representatives of Pakistan Army, revenue department and local nazims and councilors were tasked to assess damages to property. The joint teams submitted their reports to the district coordination officers (DCO) of concerned districts.
According to the reports 40047 houses were destroyed in Mansehra including Kala Dhaka while 30474 houses were partially damaged. In Batagram 25,685 houses were destroyed and 17,124 partially damaged. In Abbottabad 19859 were collapsed and 32225 houses were partially damaged. As many as 7426, 18995 houses were totally damaged, 5984 and 37,130 were partially damaged in the districts of Kohistan and Shangla respectively.
The DCOs of the respective districts disbursed an amount of Rs. 229.525 million among affectees including 128.625 million in Mansehra and 50.075 and 50.825 million in Abbottabad and Shangla districts respectively. The process of payment of the compensation to the quake survivors in Batgram and Kohistan would be started soon. In the wake of severe cold weather and snowfall on the hilltops of Kaghan valley, 2780 more people have migrated to down country. Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (EME) of Pakistan Army with the help of WAPDA officials have restored electric supply to the telephone exchange at Sangar and tent village and field hospital at Kawai. It may be mentioned that 8531 families are currently living in 269 tent villages established by Pakistan Army in Batgram. These villages are being managed by civil administration.
Pakistan Army’s air and ground operations continued in full swing to provide relief goods to the affected people in the quake hit areas of the province. As many as 25 sorties of the helicopters airlifted relief goods including 1078 tents, 952 blankets, 11.29 tons ration, 0.162 ton medicines and 21.496 tons of other relief goods to the survivors in affected areas of Mansehra, Kaghan and Batgram.—ISPR