KARACHI, Sept 25 (NNN-BERNAMA) — Rescuers backed by soldiers on Wednesday were struggling to negotiate with collapsed roads and bridges, to reach remote areas in the earthquake-hit Pakistani-administered Kashmir, also known as Azad Kashmir, Abadolu Agency reported, quoting local media and officials.
Talking to Anadolu Agency, Information Minister of Azad Kashmir Mushtaq Minhas, however, said the rescue missions using army aviation helicopters, have almost reached to all the affected regions.
He expected that the rescue mission would be completed by next few hours, to pave way for relief operations.
A day after the 5.8 magnitude earthquake jolted the broad swaths of country’s north northwest and Pakistani-administered Kashmir known as Azad Kashmir, authorities have confirmed death of 25 people so far, even as the search-and- rescue operations resumed early Wednesday.
Minhas said so far 500 injured people have been brought to hospitals.
He said rescuers were moving to far-flung villages to fund out injured or trapped people in Mirpur district of Azad Kashmir, bordering Pakistani province of Punjab and Riasi district of Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
While the minister confirmed 25 deaths, a report submitted to the Prime Minister of Azad Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider Khan, by his Home Ministry has put the death toll at 26.
“Rescue operations are about to be completed. Now, relief operation will begin to provide shelter to residents, whose homes have been damaged by the earthquake,” the minister said.
He said food and water has been arranged to be distributed in the remote areas, that are still disconnected from Mirpur city, due to destruction of roads.
— NNN-BERNAMA
