Army chief reviews quake relief operations in AJK

General Qamar directs military officials to render full assistance to civil administration

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has reviewed relief and rescue operations being carried out in parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) that were hit by a 5.6 magnitude earthquake leaving at least 37 people dead and hundreds others wounded on Tuesday.

The army chief also monitored ongoing damage repair efforts at Jatlan Canal Road, said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Wednesday.

PHOTO: ISPR

“Normalcy [must] be restored with speed rendering full assistance to civil administration and taking best possible care of the affected population,” the military’s media wing quoted him as saying.

COAS visited earthquake affected areas of AJ&K and ongoing damage repair efforts at Jatlan Canal Road. “Normalcy be restored with speed rendering full assistance to civil administration and taking best possible care of the affected population”, COAS. pic.twitter.com/B6fMkbzTsX

— DG ISPR (@OfficialDGISPR) September 25, 2019

The earthquake also shook several cities of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

Earlier in the day, The NDMA chairman, while visiting the affected areas, lauded Pakistan Army’s timely relief and rescue efforts. He said the troops had started repair work on damaged roads. “By tomorrow, small vehicles will be able to use the roads that were affected by the earthquake.”

Death toll climbs to 37 as aftershocks continue in AJK

The NDMA chief assured that 1,000 food aid packages will reach the affected area soon and tents will also be provided to those whose houses were damaged or destroyed in the calamity.

Jatlan road, a major thoroughfare of the area, is now reportedly open for traffic while the main highway and several bridges have been damaged in the quake and are not open for commute.

Widespread power outages have also been reported from the area as local infrastructure, including transformers and electric poles, has been significantly damaged.

Residents were seen inspecting the damage inflicted on their homes, with large cracks defacing walls in the houses that still stood.