ISLAMABAD, Oct 29: UN agencies have sent a joint assessment mission to Ziarat and Pishin, areas badly affected by the Wednesday’s earthquake. Another team would leave for Harnai on Thursday. It also mobilised its relief stocks in the country.

“We are assessing the situation to decide on what kind of response is needed,” spokesperson for the UN Amna Kemal said.

Another UN official, Anwarul Haq, told Dawn that the UN was ‘standing by with eyes and ears open’.

According to initial reports, situation in the earthquake-hit districts is ‘poor’ and between 700,000 and 800,000 people are estimated to have been affected.

An IUCN report said that Malik Payo Khan and Tarrai villages had been razed to the ground and the Strengthening Participatory Organisation reported that 2,300 houses had been damaged in Kawas and Katch villages.

Other international NGOs have also assessment teams to Ziarat.

Masood Haider adds from New York: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed his sorrow at the loss of life and destruction of property suffered by people of Balochistan and offered UN help.

In a statement issued in New York, UN spokesperson Marie Okabe said: “He (Mr Ban) extends his deepest condolences to the families of those who have been killed, injured or made homeless by the earthquake.”

Ms Okabe said the United Nations had been in contact with Pakistani officials and was assessing the situation in collaboration with them.

“The United Nations stands ready to lend its assistance to efforts to respond to humanitarian needs created by the disaster, including by using existing resources and providing grants from emergency funds, and to mobilise international support for that response, if required”, she added.