Avalanche tragedy — Day 10: Inclement weather forces president to cancel visit
Inhospitable weather on Monday forced President Asif Ali Zardari to cancel his trip to Gyari, an avalanche tragedy in Siachen, as day 10 posed serious climatic difficulties for rescuers.
President Zardari was planning to visit the Gyari sector – where an avalanche struck at a Pakistan Army camp on April 7 and buried 138 people including troops and civilians – to inspect the rescue operation being spearheaded by the military with assistance from international rescuers.
The President’s staff was informed about the deteriorating weather conditions in Skardu and the visit was called off. Spokesperson to the President Senator Farhatullah Babar confirmed that the president was due to visit Gyari to express solidarity with the “defenders of the frontiers” but his trip was cancelled due to “unsuitable weather conditions”.
Similarly, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is also waiting for the approval of aviation authorities to give weather clearance for a trip to the Siachen Glacier.
Meanwhile, a group comprising 46 members from national and international media teams that was set to fly for the rescue site could not land at the Skardu airport on Monday due to harsh weather.
The control tower informed aviation authorities that landing of a C-130 military cargo plane would be a dangerous step as more than 55 personnel were onboard including media and plane crew.
Media representatives had been asking for this visit from day one of the Siachen tragedy but weather hazards persisted and the trip did not materialise.
An Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) official said that they tried their best to take the media team to Siachen and even reached Skardu but the weather was too hostile for a chopper flight. It was then decided that a C-130 cargo plane would be used. The military official said that the visit was called off and would be reorganised keeping in mind the weather reports.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Meteorological Office has predicted more rain and thunderstorm in the next 24 hours in Gilgit-Baltistan and the surroundings areas.
Rescue operation
Despite the obstacles posed by the weather, the search and rescue operation at Gyari continued round the clock on the tenth day.
According to a press release issued by the military’s media cell on Monday, weather remained “very harsh” and posed serious challenges to the men and machines working at the avalanche site.
“However, the spirit and zeal of courageous soldiers has not wavered under arduous conditions,” read the statement.
It was revealed that the work at the tunnel – being dug in the compact snow of avalanche, needed to access a suspected structure to find survivors – has made considerable progress by using explosives.
A team of German and Swiss rescuers also assisted the military team in collecting valuable data and information to locate possible survivors.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 17th, 2012.
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