Gilgit:
In the wake of devastating floods in the Ghizer Ghizer district of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), the closure of 63 schools, initially controlled until August 25, was extended while the help and rehabilitation efforts continue.
GB government spokesperson Faizullah Faraq said that Ghizer schools had been closed due to the destruction caused by floods, adding that the closure may be more prolonged depending on the situation.
He said that a rescue camp had been created in Talidas, where the Disaster Management Authority has already provided more than 150 tents to displaced families.
According to the spokesperson, more than 300 food packages have been distributed among the people affected by the floods in Talidas, as well as more than 150 kitchen sets and hygiene kits.
Relief items also include more than 150 tarpaulins and nuances, more than 150 plastic carpets, more than 150 water coolers and more than 2,000 bottles of mineral water.
Faraq added that the artificial lake formed in Talidas after the daily surveillance of the floods. Medical teams and ambulances have also been deployed by the provincial government in the affected areas to ensure appropriate assistance.
Meanwhile, the officials said that several areas of the Ghizer district had been cut in the past five days when the efforts continue to release the Gilgit-Shandur road.
The majority of Ghizer areas have remained blocked after five kilometers from the main road were overwhelmed by an artificial lake formed in the village of Raushan. Nearly 300 houses have been damaged by glacial floods, while houses in Hakis, Thangi and Raushan remained underwater and residents are fighting without fundamental necessities.
Likewise, the Karakoram motorway in Hassanabad Hunza also remained blocked for three weeks after the floods of the Shisher glacier overwhelmed part of the road.
The closure posed serious difficulties to the residents of Hassanabad, while dozens of houses, agricultural land and public infrastructure as well as private have been damaged.
So mental disaster
A statement published by 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 chaired by the additional secretary of the Department of Social Protection Arif Tahseen was held with senior government officials and private institutions in order to resolve the issue.
The meeting focused on developing a coordinated mental health and psychological rehabilitation strategy in affected areas.
The additional secretary, Tahseen, said that recent floods have not only caused a physical and economic devastation, but also deep emotional and psychological impacts.
