| 2005 Kashmir Earthquake |
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Most of the affected areas are in mountainous regions with access impeded by Landslides that blocked the roads, leaving an estimated 3.3 million homeless in Pakistan. The UN reported that more than 4 million people were directly affected, prior to the commencement of winter snowfall in the Himalayan region. It is estimated that damages incurred are well over US$ 5 billion ( Rs. 30 billion) Five crossing points were opened on the Line Of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan to facilitate the flow of humanitarian and medical aid to the affected region. "Pakistan Asks Quake Survivors to Leave Mountains Before Winter" (Bloomberg), ''Bloomberg.com'', 26 October 2005, retrieved 24 February 2006 "New figures put quake toll at more than 79,000" AP, ,,MSNBC.com'', 19 October 2005, retrieved 23 February 2006 "South Asia Earthquake: Fact Sheet #25 (FY 2006)" ''Reliefweb.com'', 17 November 2005, retrieved 23 February 2006 ; Aftershock s have occurred to the northwest ( USGS ).]] THE EARTHQUAKE Kashmir lies in the area of collision of the estimated its magnitude at a minimum of 7.8. By comparison, the 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake had a magnitude of 9.15. The earthquake caused widespread destruction in northern Pakistan, as well as damage in Afghanistan and northern India . The worst hit areas were Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), and western and southern parts of the Kashmir valley in the Indian-administered Kashmir . It also affected some parts of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the city of Karachi experienced a minor Aftershock of magnitude 4.6. There have been many s with a magnitude of 4.0 and above, as of 27 October "Pakistan: A summary report on Muzaffarabad earthquake" ''ReliefWeb'', 7 November 2005, retrieved 23 February 2006 that continue to occur daily. (See USGS for a list of recent aftershocks.) CASUALTIES Most of the casualties resulting from the earthquake were in Pakistan where the official death toll has topped 84,000 and is expected to continue to rise, putting it higher than the massive scale of destruction of the Quetta earthquake of May 31 , 1935 . As Saturday is a normal school day in the region, most students were at schools when the earthquake struck. Many were buried under collapsed school buildings. Many people were also trapped in their homes and, because it was the month of Ramadan , most people were taking a nap after their pre-dawn meal and did not have time to escape during the quake. Reports indicate that entire towns and villages were completely wiped out in Northern Pakistan with other surrounding areas also suffering severe damage. "...a second, massive wave of death will happen if we do not step up our efforts now", Kofi Annan said on 20 October with reference to the thousand remote villages in which people are in need of medical attention, food, clean water and shelter and the 120,000 survivors that have not yet been reached. "Thousands at risk of starving in quake aid shortfall" by Catherine Philp, ''The Times'', 21 October 2005, retrieved 24 February 2006 Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz "made the appeal to survivors" on 26 October to come down to valleys and cities for relief, "Pakistan Asks Quake Survivors to Leave Mountains Before Winter" , (Bloomberg), ''Bloomberg.com'', 26 October 2005, retrieved 23 February 2006 because bad weather, mountainous terrain, landslides and blocked roads are making it difficult for relief workers to reach each house and the winter snows are imminent. Confirmed casualties
Estimated casualties
DAMAGE Pakistan
India
Geesh Afghanistan Three deaths were reported in Afghanistan, including a young girl who died in Jalalabad after a wall collapsed on her. The quake was felt in Kabul , but the effects were minimal. "Pakistan puts quake toll at 18,000" , ''CNN.com'', 8 October 2005, retrieved 24 February 2006 RESCUE AND RELIEF OPERATIONS Relief efforts in many remote villages are hampered, as roads are buried in rubble and many affected areas remain inaccessible. Heavy equipment is needed to clear the roads and to rescue survivors buried under the earthquake wreckage, as many rescuers are still picking the rubble with Pickaxe s and their bare hands, looking for survivors. Rescue effort are also affected by the numerous Aftershock s that continue to rattle the region and put rescue workers in danger as they search through the wreckage for survivors. {Link without Title} Five crossing points are to be opened on the Line Of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan in the province of Kashmir . The first has been opened at Chakan Da Bagh in Poonch, the second at Kaman Post in Uri (on the road between Srinagar and Muzaffarabad ) and the third across the Neelum river between Chiliana in Pakistan and Tithwal in India. These will facilitate the flow of relief goods and allow people to meet relatives across the Line Of Control . [http://www.indianexpress.com/full_story.php?content_id=81695 "Kaman Post reopens, but this time crowd is missing" , by Riyaz Wani & Majid Jahangir, ''The Indian Express'', 10 November 2005, retrieved 25 February 2006, [http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP112760.htm] In many areas there is no power, or adequate food or water; there is also the danger of disease spreading "Millions homeless; storms slow aid" , ''CNN.com'', 12 October 2005, retrieved 25 February 2006, including , the United Nations warned that the earthquake left 2.5 million people homeless and they are in need of shelter. The UN made an appeal to raise US$272 million to help victims. On October 13 , Snow started to fall on the Indian side of Kashmir. Many regions are facing an increasing threat of being cut off from help as snow forces closures of even more roads in the mountainous region. "Pakistan, Indian Earthquake Survivors Face Threat From Winter" , (Bloomberg), ''Bloomberg'', 13 October 2005, retrieved 25 February 2006 Pakistan In Northern Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, the Pakistan Army has been directed to extend all out help to the civilian population in the quake-hit areas. All civilian and military hospitals have been directed to deal with the situation on an emergency basis. The President and the Prime Minister have appealed to the nation to remain calm in the face of the calamity and asked the concerned authorities to carry out an immediate assessment of the extent of damage caused by it. The Government of Pakistan opened President's Relief Fund Earthquake Pakistan for Earthquake relief operation, where donations can be made and also appealed for International Aid as the magnitude of the disaster becomes clear. Earthquake relief blankets, tents, medicine, warm clothes, food and many more supplies are needed. Earthquake 10-05 Requests , ''Wikicities'' Red Crescent - Medical Supplies Requirement [http://www.earthquakepakistan.com/relief_required.php Relief Needs for Earthquake Region in Pakistan], ''Federal Relief Commission''. Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has offered free delivery of goods from anywhere in the world to Pakistan . Turkey has offered to airlift relief goods that arrive in Turkey to Pakistan free of cost. Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz spoke on the telephone with authorities in four Provinces plus Azad Kashmir, and directed them to utilize all machinery and make all possible efforts to help the victims. He said the entire federal administration, civil and military authorities have been alerted, and relief goods have been provided to them for the victims of the quake. Most of the roads are closed in the Northern Sector near the earthquake, and some have been completely washed out or blocked by Landslide s, so the Pakistani army is flying supplies in by helicopter. In Garhi Habibullah , a town 205 miles (328 km) from the devastated city of Balakot in north-west Pakistan, Kashmiri fighters known as the Mujahideen put aside their weapons and spent two days in helping rescue dozens of girls who were trapped in a collapsed building of a girls' school. "Fighters rescue children from the rubble" , by Nasir Malick, ''Telegraph'', 11 October 2005, retrieved 25 February 2006 On n rescue team rescued a 5-year-old girl in Muzaffarabad who has been trapped for nearly 100 hours. {Link without Title} On October 14 the Pakistan government agreed that unaccompanied children from the disaster should be taken to the SOS Children emergency shelter in Islamabad for family tracing in a central database and help and created a credit programme for affected families. They also agreed that SOS should be temporary guardian until relatives were traced. "Earthquake in Pakistan/Kashmir" , ''SOS Children'' The Pakistani people from all regions and walks of life donated a huge amount of relief supplies in both goods and money for the earthquake victims which is unprecedented in the history of nations. {Link without Title} The magnitude of this disaster is so vast that the Government alone cannot provide relief to the people affected by this earthquake. The response of the people of Pakistan to help the government in its relief efforts has been overwhelming in the shape of donations, relief goods and volunteers working in the hospitals and the earthquake hit areas. The injured are being ferried from remote areas to the hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad through helicopters every day. The relatives of these injured patients follow them to the twin-cities by road and pursue a long and painful search for their loved ones. Devastated with heavy losses of human lives and homes, these poor people often travel on foot from one hospital to another looking for their injured loved ones. India
INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE See Also: International response to 2005 Kashmir earthquake Many countries, international organizations and non-governmental organizations have offered relief aid to the region, in the form of donation as well as relief supplies including food, medical supplies, tents and blankets. Rescue and relief workers were sent to the region from different parts of the world and they brought along rescue equipment, including Helicopter s and Rescue Dog s. The United Nations has appealed for donations to raise at least US$272 million to help victims of the quake. NOTES REFERENCES
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