Saved by neighbours: Family trapped under avalanche finally rescued

Police, district government failed to reach the site even after villagers had pulled the family out.

SWAT:

Fifteen members of a family buried under an avalanche were safely recovered after nearly a 12-hour-long rescue effort in Saboni Kallay area of Alpuri, Shangla on Friday.

Noor Alam, an elder from the area, told The Express Tribune over eight feet of snow had accumulated on the mountains in the past few days, resulting in an avalanche which hit the house of Syed Bacha in Dandho Bhanda village at around 1am.

Alam added around 15 members of Bacha’s family were buried under tonnes of snow after which villagers rushed to the site and began rescue work. The elder further said the Alpuri police and district management was informed of the incident, however, they never arrived.

“The villagers continued their efforts and, by 11:30am, had managed to remove snow from the front of the house and pull out a few people,” said Alam, adding by 1pm all 15 people including three women and nine children, were safely recovered.



The elder claimed the police had not reached the site even after the rescue work was over.

Speaking to journalists via phone, Bacha criticised the police for failing to arrive at such a critical time. “If the villagers hadn’t spotted us, we would have been dead within two hours because of suffocation. Who would be responsible then,” he questioned.

Meanwhile, Malakand Division DIG Abdullah Khan maintained he was informed of the incident at 10am and subsequently directed Alpuri police to immediately reach the site for rescue work.

However, a police official requesting anonymity said the avalanche occurred in a remote area and police did not have the available facilities to get there on time. “We couldn’t reach the site due to heavy snowfall,” said the official, adding rescuing citizens from such incidents is the responsibly of the district government not the police.

Officials of the district government of Shangla could not be reached for comments despite several attempts.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 8^th, 2014.