Aftermath
Pakistan quake zone still in ruins six months on
In the northwestern town of
Earthquake-proof certificates to be imposed in Rawalpindi Cantt
The
All construction engineers approved by the Pakistan Engineering Council will be able to issue these certificates for a fee of Rs 5,000 for five Marlas of land Rs 10,000 for 10 Marlas of land. Meanwhile, the Station Commander of the Cantonment Board, Sajjad Azam, on the recommendation of Executive Officer, Rafique Sial and Secretary Mian Mudassar Khan has aborted the motion to issue certificates for smaller houses.
Six months after earthquake, real work is just beginning
Six months after the devastating October 8
Although people are starting to return to their villages to begin the task of rebuilding their shattered lives, tens of thousands are still in camps and time is running out, he told
“We may be six months on from the earthquake and through a mercifully mild winter, but there is still the monsoon to come and the next winter is only seven months away,” Toole said.
Earthquake victims in Lahore leave for AJK and NWFP
Saba Sadiq, adviser to the Punjab chief minister on
She also addressed the farewell ceremony, saying the Punjab had again played a role in helping people and had hosted the victims for four months. She said each family was also given three months of rations including flour, rice, oil, sugar, tea, milk powder, grains, pulses and spices. She also said every victim was given Rs 1,000.
Balakot to be relocated
Pakistan is to rebuild the city of
The city, home to 300,000 people before the quake, will be rebuilt in a safer location to modern design standards.
Pakistan also announced that it will shift focus from relief efforts to begin the rebuilding of devastated towns and villages on 7 April.
More than 73,000 people died and three million lost homes in the earthquake.
Balakot is currently located on a major geological fault line about 200km (120 miles) north of the country’s capital,
Insurance Companies received 15 claims against quake damage
“About 15 or 16 insurance claims have been received in Islamabad,” said the general manger of a leading insurance firm on condition of anonymity.
The quake, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale hit Pakistan on October 8, causing widespread damage. Its epicentre was located 100 kilometres north of Islamabad. According to sources in the insurance industry, each claim varies between Rs 200,000 to Rs 500,000 – depending on the intensity of the damage to the buildings mentioned in the claims.
US troops to leave quake zone from March 21
American troops engaged in relief and reconstruction activities in
Quoting US sources, Geo television reported that the withdrawal of American troops will conclude in a few weeks. More than 1,000 troops reportedly arrived in Pakistan after the October 8 earthquake. According to Geo TV, Gen Peter Pace, the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, will visit Pakistan next week for talks on security issues.
The US has already handed over its field hospitals to the Pakistani government and the remaining will be handed over to non-government organisations, the channel said.
Return of quake survivors from tent villages begins
The
Reports reaching from the quake-affected areas say people in camps at various localities were seen packing their belongings and heading towards their native villages in line with the NWFP government’s decision of closing all camps by March 31. The repatriation would be completed in three phases.
Over a hundred families, according to reports, left for their villages located on the hilltops on the first day of starting the process from a government camp in main Battagram.