Poor response to disasters

There are reports of rising death toll and damages to houses and other buildings. At the moment, people in most parts of the valley are in panic and living in the open fearing more tremors. It was also feared that many people remained stuck on roads that have been blocked due to falling stones and landsliding.

Even though the administration including the army was busy in dealing with the aftermath of the floods, the earthquake caught them almost unprepared and unable to deal with the injured even though their number was quite low at the initial stage. It was ironic that an ambulance of the District Headquarters Hospital Chitral sent to bring injured people to the hospital broke down near the PTDC and despite efforts by passersby to push start it the engine of the vehicle could not be switched on. As a result, the driver left it along the roadside and went away.

At the THQ hospital in Booni, about 40 injured including women and children were waiting for any treatment, as despite declaring a so-called emergency the hospital had no stock of basic medicines. The closure of the roads and disruption in the already poor communication network added to the miseries of the people. Besides, Chitralis living outside their native areas were perturbed as they could not get in touch with their loved ones back home on time.