ISLAMABAD (NNI): The rescue teams comprising troops of Northern Light Infantry (NLI) on Tuesday continue struggle to rescue over 5,000 homeless as well as injured in the far-flung areas in Northern Areas of Karakoram mountains following the last three days earthquake. "Although the rescue operation due to dusty environment in the areas are very difficult but the NLI rescue teams are continuously making sorties of Lama and MI-17 helicopters to rescue the victims of earthquake and land sliding," Acting Director General ISPR, Brigadier Saulat Raza told to this news agency.
As many as 17 have been perished so far due sliding and earthquake since Saturday last and over 60 admitted to the hospital in Chalas.
At the official level number of killed is touching 12.
Major General Nadeem Ahmed, Commandant of NLI has been supervising himself the rescue operations in the area since Sunday.
The first earthquake hit an area Tatapani some 80 kilometers in the South of Gilgit, on the fabled Silk Route caravan route, at 3:09 am on Saturday, clocking 4.5 on the Richter scale.
At least 40 aftershocks, including three more moderate quakes, have completely flattened two villages and damaged around a dozen others.
The rescue teams are conducting operations round the clock and mobile medical teams of the Medical Corps are also engaged in providing treatment to injured on the spot and also treating them in their temporary center besides airlifting them to the hospital in Chalas, Brigadier Saulat Raza said.
After 1994 earthquake, this is the second tragedy gripped the entire area.
The international teams are searching since 1994 to look into the geological changes taking place there.