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| December 12, 2005 | Monday | Ziqa’ad 9, 1426 |
Quake hits Afghan Hindu Kush, residents flee homes ISLAMABAD, Dec 13 (Reuters) - An earthquake of 6.7 magnitude struck the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan early on Tuesday, the United States Geological Survey said. People in Pakistani Kashmir, where tens of thousands were killed by an earthquake on Oct. 8, fled their homes when the quake struck, residents said. Residents in the Indian capital New Delhi also felt the quake, as did people in Peshawar, a Pakistani town near the Afghan border. There were no immediate reports of casualties. More than 73,000 people were killed and around 500,000 left homeless in Pakistani Kashmir and the neighbouring North West Frontier Province of Pakistan "which bore the brunt of the Oct. 8 quake, which measured 7.8 on the open-ended Richter scale. (Posted @ 03:40 PST)
US experts in Pakistan to advise on quake reconstruction efforts ISLAMABAD, Dec 12 (AFP) A delegation of top American scientific experts has arrived in Pakistan to advise on rebuilding quake-hit areas to prevent any repeat of the massive loss of life, the US embassy said Monday. The select team led by the US National Academy of Sciences comprises leading American structural engineers and urban planning specialists who Monday held talks with Pakistani officials, the embassy said in a statement. "The team's goal is to assist the Pakistani government and scientific community to develop policies and strategic reconstruction plans to ensure that the massive loss of life attributable to inadequate construction methods, materials and codes does not recur," it said. The team members would draw on recent earthquake reconstruction experiences in India and Iran as well as the best US scientific and engineering resources, the embassy said. The experts were due to travel to the affected region on Tuesday to witness firsthand the impact of the quake on local structures. From Wednesday to Saturday the team will conduct working level meetings with government policy-makers and members of the Pakistani scientific community, the embassy said.(Posted @ 21:02 PST)
Pakistani woman rescued from earthquake rubble, two months on ISLAMABAD, Dec 12 (AFP) A Pakistani woman in her 40s was rescued from the rubble of her Kashmir home Monday two months after being buried there in a devastating earthquake, a television report said. "A woman has been brought to hospital in Muzaffarabad today who remained buried under the rubble of her home since the October 8 earthquake," a doctor told a local television channel. "She is unconscious and kept in the intensive care unit and we hope that she will survive," the official said. "She had been fighting with death in a dark cavity under the rubble. It is a miracle," the doctor added. The villagers who dug out the woman said pieces of rotten food were found in the hole, and that she might have survived by drinking rain water. Officials were not immediately available to confirm the report.(Posted @ 20:44 PST)
Entire Kashmir to be opened for tourism: PM RAWALAKOT, Dec.12 (APP): Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Monday said the entire Azad Kashmir region will be opened for tourism, which would help generate economic opportunities for the people. Speaking to a large gathering here during his visit to shelter houses, Aziz said "this area has a vast potential for tourism and we will provide all facilities to attract tourists here.” He visited an area near Dhamni village in Rawalakot, and said the destroyed hospital in Rawalakot would be reconstructed soon. In his third visit to this calamity struck region, he assured the local residents that the government was fully alive to their problems: "we are working day and night to help you people and reconstruction and rehabilitation work will start in few months.” On the occasion, Aziz reiterated that Pakistan desired a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute in line with the wishes of the Kashmiri people.(Posted @ 20:18 PST)
Iran sends relief goods for quake affectees ISLAMABAD, December 12 (PPI) A big consignment of relief goods comprising dates, blankets, and tea carried by 29 trailers sent by Iran arrived here Monday.The relief goods have been stationed in front of the Sports Complex, will be dispatched to the quake affected areas.(Posted @ 13:00 PST)
100 BHUs to be established in quake hit areas before Eid ul Azha MUZAFFARABAD, Dec 12 (APP): Federal Health Minister Dr. Naseer Ahmed Khan has said that 100 basic Health Units were being set up in quake- hit areas, 40 in NWFP and 60 in AJK respectively. These will be operational before Eidul Azha. In order to provide artificial limbs to those who suffered amputation, the minister said that the government would set up three centres of excellence at Muzaffarabad, Mansehra and Islamabad.(Posted @ 10:30 PST)
Santorum urges President Bush to grant $1 billion to help quake-hit WASHINGTON, Dec 12(APP)- Senator Rick Santorum has pleaded for consideration grant of $1 billion towards the reconstruction and rebuilding efforts of the October 8 earthquake. In a letter addressed to the U.S. President, the law maker said recently he had the opportunity to meet with several Pakistani-American constituents "who expressed their support for the efforts of your Administration to provide this much needed and life-saving assistance to the people of this region."(Posted @ 10:25 PST)
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