MUZAFFARABAD, Oct 10: Rescuers searched frantically for survivors of Saturday’s massive earthquake on Monday as the death toll climbed over 20,000 and officials said thousands more could be dead in the rubble.

In Islamabad, European, Arab and Japanese nationals were among an estimated 45 people missing two days after the quake destroyed two apartment blocks.

Donors announced tens of millions of dollars of emergency aid for Pakistan and were rushing in doctors, helicopters, food, tents and sniffer dogs, but there was frustration among victims at the lack of any visible help on the ground.

The US military in Afghanistan said it was diverting eight helicopters being used in the war against militants to assist with emergency operations.

Aid agencies said more than 120,000 people were in urgent need of shelter and up to four million could be left homeless by what was South Asia’s strongest quake in 100 years.

“We know that every hour counts in an earthquake of this magnitude,” UN Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland said.

Information Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said more than 20,000 people had been confirmed dead, but he said the number could rise.

Officials in Northwest Frontier Province and Azad Kashmir say the final death toll could be close to 40,000.

More than 48 hours after the tragedy, the first official help was just reaching the town of Balakot in Northwest Frontier Province, one of the badly hit areas.

Scores of children died in Balakot schools which collapsed in the quake. Many others were pulled out alive but badly hurt.

Working frantically under Monday’s midday sun, rescuers located four children surviving in an air pocket and managed to pass them some drinking water.

“Most of the people here are cursing the government for still not providing proper attention and we agree with their feelings,” said Ayub, one of 120 medical students helping in the town.

Another doctor, Khalid Querishi, was treating injured in the open air on rope cots, or charpoys, and warned of the dangers of secondary infection.

“The only solution is to move them from here because after a while the stench of these dead bodies will become unbearable and infectious. It is going to take time to remove the bodies.”

Meanwhile, the authorities have reopened the only roads leading to quake-hit Muzaffarabad and Balakot and relief trucks and rescue equipment were nearing both towns, a military spokesman said.

“This will tremendously help the relief effort,” said chief military spokesman Major General Shaukat Sultan.

The roads were shut by landslides set off by quake and desperate residents in the area have received little or no aid more than 48 hours after the disaster.

Gen Sultan said authorities had reopened the two roads that lead to Muzaffarabad, one going through the hill town of Murree and another through Garhi Habibullah.

The road linking the northwestern city of Mansehra to Balakot was also open, although a key bridge over the Kunhar river that dividing Balakot remains unsafe, he added.

“We are in a position to move the relief and heavy equipment to clear debris,” he added. “Army trucks carrying relief goods and reaching that area now to Muzaffarabad and Balakot.”—Reuters/AFP

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