08 October 2005 Earthquake The harrowing memories that still vex
October 08 2005, was the most harrowing and disastrous earthquake in the history of Pakistan
(DunyaNews/WebDesk) – It was a fair, sunny and pleasant morning. Children were leaving for schools; men were getting ready for their work and women were busy in doing their house chores in Balakot and outskirts and suddenly the Earth jolted which left nothing but a terrible sight of devastation, annihilation and ruins with unbearable shrilling cries and piercing screams of men, women and children pressed under the tons of debris.
Earth jolted which left nothing but a terrible sight of devastation, annihilation and ruins with unbearable shrilling cries and piercing screams. Photo: File
October 08 2005, was the most harrowing and disastrous earthquake in the history of Pakistan. The quake not only shoved the plates inside the ground but threatened the whole nation with the inexpressible loss of life and indescribable destruction. Thirteen years have been passed but the nerve-racking recollections of the horrifying trembling still torment the quake-ridden victims.
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A tremor of 7.6 magnitudes shook parts of the country at 08:52 am on October 08, 2005. The massive destructions broke all the previous record of the havocs wreaked by the natural disasters in the region. Pakistan has still been suffering of the loss of the demolition of the infrastructure and transportation occurred due to the catastrophic tremor jolted Azad Kashmir, Muzaffarabad, Islamabad, Balakot and other northern parts of Pakistan.
The massive destructions broke all the previous record of the havocs wreaked after the natural disasters in the region. Photo: File
Besides death of over 80,000 people, more than 100,000 people were injured in the quake, which also destroyed villages, roads, schools, hospitals, and bridges and caused massive land sliding in the most affected areas and left hundreds of thousands displaced.
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An October 2005 Earthquake survivor Kaneeza BiBi is still suffering from the wounds of the depart of her loved ones and distress of displacement. After the disaster, Kaneeza BiBi had moved to Islamabad in serach of another start of living and still struggling with life. She lives in a dilapidated household in a hope someday she would be able to have her home back.
Balakot was the most jolt-affected area. Balakot and outskirts had changed into the mount of debris and ruins. The Sufferers suffering still has not come to an end. The town still awaits government assistance to fulfill their promises to re-build the town and provide them the necessities of living. Harsh weather becomes more cruel during winter and rain.
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Those who stay alive in such calamity, consider their survival a miracle. While expressing the sight of the affected area, one of the Azad Kashmir earthquake survivors told Dunya News that when he entered he had seen dead bodies dispersed over the land wherever the sight went and the intolerable and excruciating shrieks of children pressed under the mounts of concrete slabs and we had nothing to remove those debris to save them.
Similarly, the member of the legislative assembly and PTI parliamentary leader Abdul Majid Khan lost 21 member of his near family. The tremor of 08 October 2005 gulfed down my young brother, parents, uncle, 9 young children and others. Every year, this distressing day brings harrowing memories of loss, annihilation and vex, said Majid.
Those who stay alive in such calamity, consider their survival a miracle. Photo: Screenshot
The survivors of that scary and shocking collision of tectonic plate are grateful to the Almighty for giving a miraculous and unbelievable opportunity of living also are saddened over the loss of their loved ones in numbers in a moment of horrendous destruction and damage.
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Translated and Edited By Mehreen Fatima
