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As winter begins in Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), hundreds of families displaced by the August floods in Talidas, Ghizer district of PoGB, remain stranded in makeshift tents. With plummeting temperatures and inadequate facilities, flood victims are now appealing to the government for immediate shelter and long-term rehabilitation support.
On August 22, a sudden flood devastated Talidas, submerging homes and farmland. Musa Khan, head of the Social Welfare Local Council Group, reported that 68 houses were directly hit, while the overall destruction extended to 225 households, with additional damage to 565 properties in lakeside areas. The deluge also destroyed standing crops of wheat, corn, and fruit orchards, crippling local livelihoods. "The six-kilometre-long protected lake overflowed after the spillway was opened, worsening the situation," Khan explained. Relief efforts were launched soon after, with food, blankets, utensils, and warm clothes distributed by the local council in collaboration with hotels, community groups, and donors. Camps were established on August 23, and contributions from organisations such as the Ash Serena Hotel and the Hunza community provided temporary relief. Yet, as Khan stated, these measures are far from sufficient in the face of a looming harsh winter. Volunteer Piyar Ali from the Afghan Social Welfare Board described the far-reaching impact of the disaster: "The flood has disrupted traffic, agriculture, and education. Nearly 400 children's schooling was halted as water entered classrooms and damaged supplies. Roads were destroyed, forcing people to walk for hours. Families lost their houses and now live in tents where heat makes survival difficult in summer, and cold makes it unbearable in winter." The crisis extends to agriculture, with irrigation channels destroyed and orchards drying up due to water shortages. Though local teams are attempting to protect fruit trees and crops, the damage remains severe. Drinking water scarcity has added another layer of difficulty for survivors. With tents now proving unfit for freezing conditions, residents of PoGB are urgently demanding government intervention. "Shelter is our biggest need," one survivor said. "Without it, we cannot survive the winter." The voices from PoGB highlight an unfolding humanitarian emergency that requires immediate state response, lest the tragedy of displacement deepen into one of survival against the cold. (ANI)
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