Rain, snowfall add to woes of earthquake victims
With temperatures already plummeting as winter fast approaches, there is no time to delay.
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - The victims of October 26 earthquake and its subsequent aftershocks, who have been living out in the open, are facing additional problems due to rain and snowfall in upper parts of Pakistan.
According to Met Office, scattered rain-thunderstorm with snowfall over the hills is expected at Malakand, Hazara divisions, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir during the next 12 hours.
Spokesman of Met-Office informed that a westerly wave has entered Pakistan on Sunday evening. Under the influence of this weather system rain/thunderstorm is expected at scattered places of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir and at isolated places of Zhob, Quetta, Rawalpindi, Sargodha divisions and Islamabad during Monday to Wednesday. Snowfall is also expected over the hills of Malakand, Hazara divisions, GB and Kashmir during the period.
Expected minimum temperature range in Dir will be between 03 to 05°C, Lower Dir 08 to 10°C, Chitral 06 to 08°C, Gilgit 03 to 05°C and Hunza 02 to 04°C.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), at least 271 people have been killed and more than 35,000 houses damaged in Pakistan due to powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake on October 26.
The quake was centred near Jurm in northeast Afghanistan, 250 kilometres (160 miles) from the capital Kabul and at a depth of 213.5 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said.
A report released by the NDMA says 32 people were killed in Chitral, the Pakistani town closest to the quake s epicenter. At least 50 people were killed in the nearby Shangla, the country s worst affected area.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has said efforts are being made to complete assessment of earthquake damages in far-flung areas for early payment of compensation to the affected people.
Presiding over a meeting about rehabilitation activities in Upper Dir, he said that Civil Administration is conducting a survey of damages with the help of Army in the affected areas.
The Chief Minister appreciated the role of Pak-Army in this regard.
In consultation with KPK government, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif last announced a relief package for earthquake victims.
He said Rs 600,000 will be given to the family of each deceased, Rs 100,000 for each injured, Rs 200,000 for those physically disabled, Rs 200,000 for reconstruction of every house and Rs 100,000 for reconstruction of each partially damaged house.
