Large rise in Pakistan quake toll

[VertigoGal]

I know third world natural disasters typcially go unnoticed, but I thought maybe 18000 deaths warranted a thread.

The quake's impact


Pakistan says more than 18,000 have been killed by Saturday's powerful earthquake that also hit northern India and Afghanistan.

The 7.6-magnitude quake, with an epicentre 80km (50 miles) north-east of Islamabad, flattened entire villages.

Another 40,000 people are believed to be injured, said military spokesman Major-General Shaukat Sultan.

Several countries have offered to help, with US President Bush and UN chief Kofi Annan expressing their concern.

"The people of the United States offer our deepest sympathies for the loss of life and destruction," said George W Bush in a statement.

Mr Annan said he was "deeply saddened by the loss of life" and announced that the UN was sending a team to co-ordinate relief efforts.

UK Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said the government was sending $177,000, along with 60 medical staff, emergency workers and foreign office staff. The US has promised $100,000.

India, a long-time rival with Pakistan for control over Kashmir, has also offered to help with rescue operations.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has described the quake as a "test of the nation".

rest of article:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4323008.stm



by the way, aren't we so generous...$100,000.00.

 

[yolland]

I was at least glad to see that India has offered to send help, despite the Kashmir standoff. God willing, perhaps this can at least create a small moment of healing through cooperation in a crisis. It's helped Greece and Turkey through some rough spots in the past.

 

[deep]

I know third world natural disasters typcially go unnoticed, but I thought maybe 18000 deaths warranted a thread.

I wonder if any of them were Americans?

 

[Angela Harlem]

Were either of those comments really suitable? Time and place, guys. Sheesh.

I hope they receive plenty of help.

 

[hiphop]

Death toll gets higher, around 30,000 people died from what I hear.



My parents visited Pakistan a year ago or so when they were around in North India. Beautiful country, great temples..

What a disaster. Unbelievable.

 

[babyman]

Death toll gets higher, around 30,000 people died from what I hear.

these are the things where every word shines to be useless................................it's so sad..........................so sad

 

[verte76]

 

[yolland]

My parents visited Pakistan a year ago or so when they were around in North India. Beautiful country, great temples..

Wonderful! Where in Pakistan did they go? I was in Rawalpindi once, but have chickened out on Pakistan during subsequent trips to India due to travel advisories...would love to see Lahore someday.

 

[trevster2k]

This is such a tragedy at an enormous scale. The images are sobering.

 

[babyman]

Already 40.000 deaths.......................................a large part of children generation cancelled.................Cashmir destroyed...................
I can't stand this...........................................................

 

[VertigoGal]

I know...as if the people of that region need anymore to deal with.

 

[bcrt2000]

I was reflecting on this earlier today. I'm Pakistani so it did hit closer to home. But what I was hoping for was that there would be a shining light which comes out of this dark tragedy; that people in the South Asian region finally unite and act together rather than bickering amongst one another all the time.

 

[VertigoGal]

I really, really hope so. It's times like this and after the tsunami last year that I wonder how, with all the death and suffering caused by natural disasters, we are still fighting and killing each other. Hopefully this will be different, at least a little bit.

 

[nbcrusader]

Quake toll soars above 30,000

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Searchers are working into the night in a frantic attempt to find more survivors of Pakistan's worst earthquake, as the death toll soared past 30,000 and tempers flared over the pace of relief efforts.

Aid groups and the international community have responded to calls for assistance, but with much of the quake zone virtually inaccessible and bad weather impeding travel, help was slow reaching the most affected areas.

 

[Irvine511]

no words.

 

[dandy]

 

[Judah]

SO many kids dead.

Islamabad/Rawalpindi is my home town and as bad as it was there, it's Kashmir (both Pakistan and India occupied parts) that needs most help. Yes, nice to see Pakistan finally accept the aid India offered.

--------

We'll start hearing from Pakistan's Islamic Fundamentalists..."It's Allah punishing Pakistan for Musharraf siding with the evil Bush" or some kind of tripe a la what was said by the Christian fundamentalists after Karina re: New Orleans.

On a sort of aside (it's probably not proper in this thread), but i'm hoping Bin Laden was in a cave somewhere up there, which now is serving as a nice tomb.

 

[lady luck]

I just Hope that this tragedy will help to bring peace to the two nations
I can't imagine how you feel, Judah

I hope all your relatives (if some of them is still there) are safe.

 

[AcrobatMan]

What happened to Osama ..is he dead too ?

because he is either in Pakistan or Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir

 

[lady luck]

who can know ?

 

[ibiarain]

the stories we here in pakistan have got to hear from the earthquake zone are staggering....stories of children shouting for help underneath flattened schools..people imprisoned in the places they used to call home... my driver is from kashmir..he was returning to karachi on the day of the quake he reached here on the morning of the quake and as soon as he got home he found out about the quake and called home ....he recieved news of his mother's death and his wife and children in critical condition...it was horrible

a private tv channel even showed a woman dying in front of the camera as she didnt get any medical treatment which was horrible to witness
i was in islamabad 2 days after the quake and was woken up 3-4 times in a single night due to the severity of the aftershocks ...i wonder how people living in teh worst affected zones are surviving living in fear and the biting cold