Massive rescue operation is still underway to retrieve the people trapped under snow-slide in Gayari sector near Skardu, the Inter Services Public Relations reported Sunday.
One hundred and thirty five people including one hundred and twenty-four army personnel had come under the seventy to eighty feet deep snow slide spread over an area of about one kilometer.
ISPR said information regarding soldiers at Gayari sector can be obtained from telephone numbers‚ 051-50932040; 051-5590212 and 0321-5136525.
It has also established help line in Gilgit FCNA. Telephone numbers are 05811920181 and 05811920335
According to ISPR statement, 21 x persons reached at the point of site within 1 hour and started manual effort. The strength was gradually built up and presently 180 x military personal and 60 civilian persons are working at site.
Heavy machinery of Army, Frontier Works Organization and Public Works Department Gilgit Baltistan comprising Dozers, FE Loaders and Excavators have been moved to the site. Moreover, heavy machinery from Rawalpindi has also been transported through C - 130.
Special trained search and rescue teams of Army Engineers equipped with latest locating gadgets have already reached at site. Army sniffing dogs are further reinforcing locating efforts.
Adequate medical staff has been made available for the treatment of injured persons in forward field hospitals. To further augment medical efforts, medical specialists have been moved from Rawalpindi to Skardu.
Adequate medicines alongwith trauma kits have been despatched to forward hospitals.
For effective monitoring and coordinating rescue and relief efforts, dedicated organizations have been established at HQ 10 Corps, HQ FCNA and at Gyari.
Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani alongwith Corps Commander visited the site and supervised rescue operations himself.
Meanwhile, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) has released names of the soldiers and civilians who were trapped under snow after an avalanche hit their camp in a mountanous terrain in Gayari area near Siachin.
The names released by ISPR on its website included Lt Col Tanvir Ul Hassan, Maj Zaka Ul Haq and Capt Haleem Ullah. List of Junior Commission Officers included Naib Subedar Khurshid, Didar, Malik, Iftikhar.
The names of 12 Havildars, two Lance Havildar, six Naiks, 8 Lance Naiks, 85 Sepoys and four sweepers also included in the list. The names of Havildars are Rehber, Haji Shafayat, Zakir, Gulfraz, Shah Nawaz, Musadiq, Rustam, Shad, Ghulam Muhammad, Sher Nayab, Ishaq and Tanvir.
At least 11 civilians were also buried under the avalanche which included two waiters, two barbers, three washermen (Dhobi), two canteenmen, one tailor and a servant named Ghulam Rasool whose presence at the sight of the avalanche is not confirmed yet.