Rescuers try in vain to locate five landslide victims

Rain, shaky ground impede efforts of search teams looking for survivors, bodies

SKARDU: There was no sign of survivors on Monday as military and civil personnel braved inclement weather, rain and muddy ground to locate five people who reportedly disappeared three days ago in a landslide near Sadpara Dam.

Among the five disappeared people, three were students out on an excursion. The victims were sightseeing in the scenic Skardu Valley when a landslide struck them.



Continued rainfall in Skardu has caused a number of mudslides and landslides in the past fortnight.

Skardu Deputy Commissioner Dr Fahad Mumtaz told the media on Monday that services of army men expert in search and rescue ops and sniffer dogs of K-9 Unit have been acquired, besides Rescue 1122 personnel and Public Works Department (PWD) workers to search for the victims.

The rescuers were facing difficulty in the operation due to damaged road.



He said that the road to Sadpara Village was damaged and will be restored by Tuesday that will help in movement of earthmoving equipment facilitating the rescue teams to search the missing persons in the mudslide portion.

He said that essential commodities and medicines with two doctors and paramedical staff sent to Sadpara Village through boats where 1,100 people were affected due to mud avalanche after heavy rainfall.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 8^th, 2017.