Tracking: Pakistan Earthquake

by Michael Bear · 2008-11-02 11:38:00 UTC
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[Footage of the Pakistan earthquake from NTDTV]

- The most recent OCHA Situation Report about Wednesday's earthquake in Pakistan includes the following casualty figures:

"Media and civil organisations are putting the death toll at 300 with over 1,000 injured. Government has confirmed 150 deaths and 370 injured so far. According to some reports, the casualty figure is likely to exceed 400."

- There are fears that disease is beginning to spread among the survivors, especially children, left without adequate shelter.  A district health officer in the area said: "Due to the cold hundreds of children are being treated for pneumonia, abdominal diseases, diarrhoea and chest problems."

According to one man interviewed by the AFP: "Our children are dying, help us."  Another man added:

"Our children could not sleep during the night because of the cold and continued tremors shaking the mountains. People do not go to their damaged houses even to take out food because they fear more tremors."

- Aid has been slow to reach many outlying villages.  The AFP article offers more detail:

Children could be seen running after cars on the road adjoining the affected areas begging for food and drink, witnesses said. Residents in the quake-hit village of Khanozai, near Ziarat, blocked the main road in protest at the lack of relief goods despite government pledges to help them, an AFP reporter saw.

Michael Bear
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