2008 Woodie Awards
Tragedy in Pakistan
Earthquake kills thousands in one of the worse natural disasters in history.
Brittany Lee
Issue date: 10/14/05 Section: News
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Currently, the United Nations believes that over 2.5 million people were left homeless after the quake. Initial death toll estimates were at 20,000 to 30,000, but as of Monday, October 10, Pakistan alone was found to have 30,000 dead. An additional 999 dead were reported in India and 1 in Afghanistan. Most officials estimate the death toll will continue to climb, as additional bodies are found and additional citizens succumb to disease and exposure to the elements if relief efforts are not improved.
Efforts to save survivors continue vigilantly, and on Monday, two days after the quake, rescuers were still find trapped sufferers. In Ismalabad, rescuers continued to pull survivors from an 11 story apartment building in an upscale section of the city. A two year old girl and her mother were both miraculously found alive after spending two days in the collapsed building. In total, as of Monday, an amazing 25 survivors were recovered by rescue workers in the building. However, another 35 bodies were also dug from the rubble.
Aid groups and rescue response teams have reacted quickly in an effort to save the lives of as many survivors as possible. The area is not easily accessible, though, and due to mountains of rubble, bad weather, and flooding in some areas, help has been slow. Continued relief effort led to the reopening of roads thus far, and rescuers are now venturing into areas with the most damage, where they previously could not reach.
People trapped in the worst hit regions have been forced to excavate through mounds of debris in search of food and water. Time is crucial if these victims are to survive, as the U.N. warns that soon disease will set in. Islamic Relief spokesman Waseem Yaqhoob told CNN he thought the deaths would reach "80,000, maybe more...This could get very close to tsunami levels," he said. "It's horrific. It really is terrible." In addition, so far an estimated 43,000 are reported injured.
The event is certainly catastrophic to this region that is already filled with tension due to the continued turmoil between India and Pakistan. Mass burials have begin in the heart of the disaster, Muzaffarabad, where 11,000 people perished. Looting in the region is causing severe problems as well. Shopkeepers resorted to using sticks and stones to ward off desperate civilians willing to steal supplies to survive. Deserted homes are also being ransacked for essential items. The city is in turmoil and bodies are said to be scattered nearly everywhere.