Details

Written by: Tahir Nadeem Khan Yusafzai

Category: ENVIRONMENT

Published: 21 March 2015

DODA: The unprecedented snowfall in March triggered avalanches in slopes which besides damaging several structures including dozens of houses in Chinab Valley , killed two women and a child  in a massive avalanche in Mahoo village of Ramban district on Saturday. "The two women, Hajra (23) and Gulsan (35), and 10-year-old Parvez — all residents of Bajnari hamlet in Mahoo area of Banihal Tehsil were buried under a massive avalanche near Mahoo area this morning," DDC Ramban Farooq Ahmed Shah Bukhari said.

"It took almost three hours to dig them out. Parvez had already died whereas the other two women, who were still breathing, died a couple of hours later," SHO Banihal said. Meanwhile, locals alleging the callus attitude of police and civil administration in starting the rescue operation said that the two women could have been saved if timely medical care were administered to them.    "We asked the administration to air-lift the two women to the district hospital, but nothing was arranged for them and they too died almost two to three hours after being taken out of the snow," a resident of the area alleged.
 
" Mahoo - Mangat is a snowbound far off area at least 35 km from Banihal with no or very little network but still as soon we came to know about the incident, we tried our best rescue the trapped persons from the snow. We also tried to air lift the women but it took IAFsome time to complete the formalities at Udhampur and as soon chopper was about to take-off, the women scum to the injuries," said DDC Ramban adding that 1.5 lacs has been sanctioned to the next of the kins of the deceased and will be disbursed among them at the earliest.