October 8, 2005 earthquake: ‘Erra has rebuilt 98pc infrastructure’

MANSEHRA: The Earthquake Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Authority (Erra) has claimed to have reconstructed 98 percent of infrastructure that crumbled in the October 8, 2005, devastating earthquake in Mansehra, the worst affected district in KP.

A report released by the District Reconstruction Unit on the 14th anniversary of the tragedy, claimed only 62 schools and two other buildings in the governance sector were yet be reconstructed. The report, a copy of which is available with this correspondent, revealed that a total of 2823 government buildings in all 11 sectors were grounded in an earthquake some 14 years ago and 2,759 were reconstructed. It said up to 1,124 schools and colleges buildings were destroyed in earthquake and Erra could reconstruct 1,162 of them. The report said in the governance sector as many as 112 facilities were destroyed and all were reconstructed and same was the case in the livelihood sector where 311 buildings were destroyed and all are reconstructed. It said in the environment, 194 buildings, in social protection 2, in health sector 46, in transport 103, Water and sanitation 795, in power sector 3, medical rehabilitation 2 and in town planning, 31 buildings were destroyed some 14 years ago and all were reconstructed. —Correspondent