By Zulfiqar Ali Khan
HUNZA: Troops took over the charge of relief operation in Hunza-Nagar and Gilgit districts on Thursday as the water level in a lake formed on Hunza River by a landslide reached a critical stage.
Two army helicopters started airlifting over 500 people of Gojal who were stranded in Aliabad because of suspension of boat service since Sunday. The army also transported floating bridges to sites where flood could damage the bridges.
The Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, Mian Manzoor Wattoo, Baitul Mal Chairman Zamurad Khan and Chief Minister Syed Mehdi Shah visited Shishkat and other affected villages to assess the situation.
Speaking to a gathering in the most affected village, Mr Wattoo assured them of steps for their rehabilitation.
He asked the authorities to immediately post a doctor in Shishkat. The Baitul Mal's chief announced a grant of Rs50,000 for each affected family. The new Chairman of the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Lf-Gen (retd) Nadeem Ahmed, visited the affected areas to oversee preparations to deal with an emergency.
According to experts, water inflow into the lake has reached 3,500 cusecs, with seepage of 150 cusecs, increasing the level by an average of 3.4 feet daily.
The 18kms-long lake has gained a maximum depth of 361 feet. About 12 feet of free board remains to be topped by the water from the spillway.
According to the experts, since the structure of the spillway was very narrow, the water level in the lake would continue rising for three days even after start of the release from the lake.
INQUIRY:
People of Gojal tehsil have called for a judicial inquiry into 'criminal negligence' by the authorities in delaying release of water from the lake.
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