K-P will tap all resources for quake relief: Imran

Says provincial government assessing damages

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government will assess the damages caused by Monday’s earthquake and utilise all resources available to the province for relief work, said Imran Khan.

A powerful 7.5-magnitude quake had struck Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region and was felt throughout much of South Asia, including Pakistan.



The US Geological Survey put the epicentre near Jurm in north-east Afghanistan, 250 kilometres from the capital Kabul, and at a depth of 213.5 km.

After inquiring after the health of the injured at the Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) on Tuesday, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chairman told the media that around 200 people had died and more than 2,000 others had been injured because of the earthquake.

He said his party’s provincial government had quickly responded to the catastrophe and assisted in rescue and relief activities, adding that every government department was performing its duties.



After the LRH, he planned to visit Dir, Swat and Shangla to get a first-hand idea of the situation in the districts.

Since majority of the quake victims were brought to the LRH, volunteers also rushed to the hospital to help its administration overcome the influx of patients.

A student volunteering for relief work said: “Following consultation with the hospital management, our college administration asked us to reach the accident and emergency centre to assist the hospital staff.”



Earlier, Peshawar District Nazim Asim Khan also visited the LRH, where he said: “We are here to inquire about the condition of the injured as well as to see if we could alleviate any shortcomings.”

He said two people had died and around 34 people were admitted at the hospital, including one in the intensive care unit. “People are still being shifted from the hilly areas.”

He told the media that revenue officers had been issued a 72-hour deadline to assess the damages and identify run-down buildings across the district so that the structures could be demolished.



He also announced Rs500,000 as compensation for the families of every person who had died because of the quake.

LRH focal person Dr Ghulam Subhani said the hospital was still receiving injured people from Dir, Chitral, Kohistan and Bajaur.

Meanwhile, cricketer Shahid Afridi also visited the hospital to inquire after the health of the injured. He handed over Rs10,000 to every injured person as well. He said the nation should make collective efforts to help the quake victims.

Haier Pakistan CEO Javed Afridi, who accompanied the cricketer, said the Shahid Afridi Foundation would donate Rs5 million for earthquake relief.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 28^th, 2015.