Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Rescue 1122 Spokesperson Bilal Faizi said that a major rescue operation has been started to help the people affected by heavy snowfall in the province.
The operation is being conducted in Tirah valley, Painda Cheena, Dawatoi and Bagh Maidan on the directives of Rescue 1122 director general.
Twenty-three operational vehicles of Rescue 1122 and rescue teams comprising more than 100 personnel are taking part in the rescue operation.
It should be mentioned that the residents of Tirah have been vacating their homes amid a planned military operation against militants in the restive valley. Hundreds of displaced families were stranded on the road on Thursday due to the prolonged registration process, which was suspended in the evening due to heavy snowfall that began in earlier in the day.
A statement issued by the Khyber Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) office on Friday said efforts were underway under the directives of KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi to shift internally displaced persons (IDPs) stranded due to recent snowfall to safe locations. The statement further said that all the families were provided with blankets, while children were given sweaters and other essential items.
According to the DC office, relief activities continued from Nangrosa to Dawatoi and from Dawatoi to Bagh Maidan.
On Thursday night, KP CM Afridi had highlighted that the people of Tirah were stranded in the snowfall due to the forced evacuation. The district administration as well as the resources of the entire province are being used to help them. People are trapped in about three places, he said. Afridi said some people were being transported to nearby homes as well as to areas designated by the district administration. He also said that contact could not be established with some people due to a lack of mobile signals and blocked roads.
Meanwhile, KP’s Shangla district received a heavy amount of snowfall, blocking major roads, including the Karakoram Highway, and disrupting the power supply to most areas. According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), snowfall was reported in most parts of the province’s north on Thursday night, which continued till Friday morning. It said the heavy snowfall caused the blockade of roads in various districts. However, efforts were underway to reopen the roads.