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| November 2, 2005 | Wednesday | Ramzan 28, 1426 |
Pakistan quake death toll soars to more than 73,000 ISLAMABAD, Nov 2 (AFP) The confirmed death toll in Pakistan from last month's massive earthquake leapt to 73,276, the country's disaster relief chief said Wednesday, raising the toll by more than 16,000. Another 69,260 people were severely injured by the 7.6-magnitude tremor which devastated large sections of northern Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir on October 8, Major General Farooq Ahmad Khan told a news conference, adding that the number who suffered minor injuries was likely to be far greater. No explanation was given for the sudden jump. Farooq said 41 villages had still not been accessed, while a total of 2,775 were affected by the quake. He appealed to the international community for tents and other shelter for the estimated 3.3 million people left homeless in Pakistan, as well as more medicines and vaccines for tetanus and other diseases. He also urged the international community to supply two air ambulances to evacuate casualties, as well as four mobile operating theatres and two prosthetic limb rehabilitation centres for the disabled. (First Posted@ 17:02 PST Updated@ 19:24 PST)
Musharraf seeks international help for quake victims ISLAMABAD, Nov 2 (AFP) President Pervez Musharraf called Wednesday for sustained international support to meet the needs of survivors of the October 8 earthquake which killed more than 73,000 people. Musharraf made the comments after meeting earthquake relief chiefs. He told the meeting that ongoing cooperation between local and overseas aid groups was essential to helping more than 3.3 million people left homeless by the devastating earthquake, a government official said. "I shall speak to the UN Secretary General and also stay in touch with world leaders to ensure execution of relief and rehabilitation work," Musharraf told the meeting, according to the official. "I am sure that with support from the nation, the global community and the non-governmental organizations, we will be able to meet this challenge and bring life back to the survivors," Musharraf said. The Pakistani leader also said all possibilities would be explored to build earthquake-proof, fire-proof and cost-effective housing in the quake-hit areas.(Posted @ 21:20 PST)
Arrangements being put in place for LoC opening: FO ISLAMABAD, Nov 2 (APP): Necessary arrangements were being put in place to implement the understanding reached between Pakistan and India for opening five crossing points on the LoC from November 7, a foreign office spokesperson said on Tuesday. This would be a big step for Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC as it would make it easier for them to meet each other and share their grief following the devastating earthquake, spokesperson Tasneem Aslam said at a weekly briefing. The mechanism for travelling across these points would be the same as adopted for Muzaffarabad-Srinagar bus service, she added. She said originally Pakistan had proposed that any document of identity should be acceptable for the cross over but this was not agreed to by India.(Posted @ 19:02 PST)
ICRC committed up to rehabilitation stage RAWALPINDI, Nov 2 (APP): The International Committee of Red Cross will continue to assist Pakistan up to the rehabilitation stage in its second largest operation in the world, said ICRC Chief Jakob Kellenberger after meeting with President General Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday. He also committed to set up ICRC centres for artificial limbs in the quake-affected areas as part of its medical assistance for thousands of people injured in October 8's deadly earthquake in NWFP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. ICRC has engaged seven of its helicopters in the large-scale relief operations in the difficult mountainous region and also set up field hospitals, treating hundreds of injured in the affected areas.(Posted @ 20:48 PST)
NATO says stay in Pakistan only for limited period ISLAMABAD, Nov 02 (APP): The NATO relief mission in Pakistan on Wednesday said it was here on an assignment to help in relief efforts in quake-hit areas and would stay only as long as the host government required. "NATO has essentially decided to limit its mission to 90 days; it is essentially a short-term mission for humanitarian relief and we should get that done as quickly as possible," NATO Ambassador Maurits Jochems told a press briefing here. Teams of engineers and doctors were in the process of being deployed in the affected areas. The total number of NATO personnel, helping in relief assistance, would be around 1,000, ambassador Jochems said.(Posted @ 18:36 PST)
Kashmiri shepherds protest poor quake relief distribution LAGAMA, Occupied Kashmir, Nov 2 (AFP) More than 250 earthquake survivors in this Kashmiri village blocked traffic on Wednesday by staging a sit-in on the highway to protest poor distribution of quake relief by local authorities, police and witnesses said. Residents of Gharkot village, mostly shepherds, threw stones at vehicles carrying officials and relief materials before being chased away by the police, a witness said. They disrupted traffic for more than an hour but broke off the protest later after officials assured them a delegation would soon visit their village. Mohammad Ashraf, a survivor, alleged that Gharkot had received no aid so far because most residents were Gujjars (shepherds) or people from lower castes. "All the relief materials such as rice and blankets are stolen by the rich and upper caste people living on the plains," he said. "There is nothing left for the poor who are left to die in the cold." Outside the government offices, people patiently waited to get an approval for 40,000 rupees being offered as compensation for damaged houses. Kurshid Ahmed, a resident of Uri, said he had already secured 12 different approvals from various officials but was yet to get the money. "It is a nightmare. But I am not giving up," Ahmed said.(Posted @ 17:35 PST)
US quake copters flying cautiously after suspected rocket fire ISLAMABAD, Nov 2 (AFP) The US military said its helicopters resumed aid deliveries to Pakistani quake victims Wednesday but were avoiding an area where one of its Chinooks came under suspected rocket fire in Kashmir. Islamabad said Tuesday's incident had been a misunderstanding and that the crew of the chopper heard a dynamite blast used to clear landslides. "Based on the evidence we have we still believe it was a rocket propelled grenade attack, but we are continuing to investigate," Commander Nick Balice of the US Disaster Assistance Center in Islamabad said. The US countered that its pilots were trained to distinguish between different types of blasts. "One of the crew members who witnessed it, or felt that is what he saw, had been serving in Afghanistan. So he is someone who is experienced in what an RPG sounds like and feels like and looks like," said another US spokesman.(Posted @ 17:30 PST)
Red Crescent teams to reach isolated communities in affected areas ISLAMABAD, Nov 1 (APP): International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies started airlifting special relief teams by helicopter to isolated villages in NWFP. The operation aimed at providing basic necessities to vulnerable and remote communities affected by the devastating earthquake. It is carried out in cooperation with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the United Nations Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) and the United Nations Humanitarian Air Services (UNHAS). The International Federation is conducting the relief effort on the ground while the UN provides logistical support. (Posted @ 09:45 PST)
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