Entire village swallowed by floodwater

The village has turned into a small lake with none of the 350 houses intact, people of the village said.

GILGIT: The lower part of a village hit by flash floods on Wednesday has turned into a small lake with none of the 350 houses intact, people of the village said on Thursday.

At least 47 people were killed and 76 others wounded in flash flood triggered by lightning as it hit Gaise village. “No house is intact - the mud, water and boulders have devastated everything there,” said Mayar Khan, a resident of Gaise who lives in Gilgit.

Officials said that Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Mehdi Shah was about to visit the calamity-hit village to console the aggrieved families.

Local people said that they expect the chief minister would announce compensation for the flood-affectees on a priority basis for those who have been stranded in the village as the main bridge has been washed away. Meanwhile, officials said that relief activities continued in the area on Thursday as dry weather prevailed.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 13^th, 2010.