MIRPUR (Kashmir English): At least 12 houses collapsed on the banks of Mangla Dam in the Islamgarh tehsil of Mirpur, Azad Kashmir, triggering panic and fear among residents.
As per details, the incident occurred in Kakra Potha Bainsi village on Saturday afternoon, which cut off the land route to the area and caused loss valued at millions of rupees.
Commissioner Mirpur Division, Chaudhry Mukhtar Hussain, has stated that the land adjacent to Mangla Dam had been sliding for the past ten months, causing cracks in around 27 houses of the aforementioned village.
“Yesterday, further subsidence resulted in the collapse of 12 concrete houses and a road worth millions of rupees,” he said, adding that fortunately, residents had already relocated from the area, preventing any loss of life.
Commissioner Mirpur Division, along with DIG Mirpur Dr. Liaqat Ali, visited the site to assess the damage.
Following the visit, the Commissioner wrote a letter to the General Manager of the Mangla Dam Organization, WAPDA, ordering an urgent geological survey and recommending compensation and alternative land for the affected homeowners.
He further directed that heavy machinery be provided immediately for the restoration of the road and pathways in the affected areas to reestablish connectivity between the localities.
Initial assessments suggest that seepage from the dam was the cause of the collapse, raising alarm about the safety of nearby settlements.
Locals fear that more houses in adjacent areas could be at risk, as the seepage continues to threaten structures along the dam’s banks.
The divisional and district administrations were instructed to take emergency measures for the rehabilitation of affectees.
