"Waiting for Help in the Naran Valley"
After walking for days, quake survivors arrive at a
helipad run by aid agencies only to find out that the tents and blankets have
run out.
Summary:
On October 8th, 2005, a powerful earthquake
struck the Kashmir region. The earthquake, which measured 7.6 on the Richter
scale, was centered in the Pakistani part of Kashmir and is the worst natural
disaster in the country's history. More than 73,000 people are believed to
have died, 100,000 were injured and as many as three million people are
homeless. The quake not only destroyed homes and villages, it also wiped out
most of the mountain roads, and thereby, completely isolated the survivors.
With the winter only weeks away, aid organizations worked frantically to try
and save as many from the coming winter weather. The quake, and the
logistical nightmare of helping the survivors live through the winter has
been called one of the most difficult humanitarian challenges in recent
years. Months after the deadly quake, the death toll is still climbing and
the United Nations fears many more will continue to die from cold, hunger and
disease before the arrival of spring.
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