[Kie99]

From the BBC
Hundreds die in South Asia quake
[q]Damage is extensive, officials say
Pakistan says more than 1,000 people may have died in a powerful quake that also hit north India and Afghanistan.

The 7.6-magnitude quake with the epicentre 80km (50 miles) north-east of Islamabad wiped out several villages.

At least 500 died in North-West Frontier province in Pakistan. More than 450 lost their lives in the disputed territory of Kashmir.

In Islamabad, people rushed to dig with bare hands to rescue those trapped when an apartment building collapsed.[/q]

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, who was visiting the site, said the quake was a "test of the nation".

Several countries have offered to send emergency aid.

In a message to Mr Musharraf, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: "While parts of India have also suffered from this unexpected natural disaster, we are prepared to extend any assistance with rescue and relief which you may deem appropriate."

Severed legs

The earthquake, which was registered at 0350GMT, was felt as far away as the Afghan capital, Kabul, and India's capital, Delhi. Several aftershocks followed.

Maj Gen Shaukat Sultan, President's Musharraf's spokesman, told the BBC: "I would say it is massive damage that has been caused. I would say that the casualties may not be hundreds - but much more."

[q]I could only do one thing which was to pick people out of the rubble and with my bare hands I started to dig
Karam Umrani
Islamabad police officer[/q]

Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao told local television: "We have reports that several entire villages have been wiped out."

The head of police in the North West Frontier Province told AFP news agency "between 550 and 600" people had died and the figure was likely to rise.

In Pakistani-controlled Kashmir 250 bodies have been recovered of the more than 2,000 feared dead, an official told the BBC from the provincial capital, Muzaffarabad.

"All official buildings have collapsed," he said.

Landslides have blocked all access roads to Muzaffarabad, where there is no electricity and telephones.

Islamabad collapse

Part of the upmarket Margala Towers residential complex collapsed in Islamabad.

One rescuer, Rehmatullah, said: "I rushed down and for some time you could not see anything because of the dust... We pulled out one man by cutting off his legs."

Karam Usmani, a 28-year-old sub-inspector with Islamabad police told the BBC: "I heard the cries of the people in the debris and with my bare hands I started to dig and I pulled out one dead body.

"But I managed to rescue another man of 35 and carried him on my shoulders to the ambulance."

In Indian-administered Kashmir, 200 are confirmed dead - including 15 soldiers - and 600 injured.

The town of Uri close to the Line of Control that separates divided Kashmir was worst hit, with 104 dead.

The administration is working overtime to restore essential supplies like electricity and water disrupted by the earthquake, says the BBC's Altaf Hussain in Srinagar.

Aid talks

Ben Phillips of Oxfam told the BBC a meeting of relief organisations was under way and is liaising with the UN and the Pakistani government on supplying aid.

Mr Phillips said the initial requirement would be for tents, blankets, food aid and medical supplies.

In other reports around the region:

    * A meeting attended by India's prime minister in the northern city of Chandigarh was stopped after his bodyguards ordered an immediate evacuation following the tremors.

    * The 200-year-old Moti Mahal fort in Poonch district, Indian-administered Kashmir, has collapsed.

    * One child was killed and six injured in a school collapse in Rawalpindi, Pakistan's information minister said.

[aldo_14]

http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,35672.0.html

[Bobboau]

http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,35672.0.html

[neo_hermes]

that's sad...
Edit:

[Bobboau]

[neo_hermes]

ffs

[Kie99]

Lock please.

Bobboau's response was the last one I was thinking I would get when I opened the thread.

[vyper]

Classic.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by kietotheworld
Lock please.

Bobboau's response was the last one I was thinking I would get when I opened the thread.

Actually, I'd rather merge the first thread to the end of this one; the title is more accurate (when I posted it the bbc headline still said hundreds').

Bobs obviously amused by the simultaneeous posting.......  in case anyone didn't realise that.

[Sandwich]

This is almost worth keeping unlocked and unmerged...

[Bobboau]

you could just modify the title of the origonal thread, lock this one but don't delete it (it is funny, but only because it hasn't become a spam thread yet)

[Kie99]

The Death Toll has hit at least 19,000 now.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4324534.stm

[karajorma]

You know what? I think the international response to this has been a f**king joke. The west has frequently proclaimed that Pakistan is their greatest ally in the muslim world in the fight against international terror. Their leader has faced assassination attempts because he's so loudly stated that he's helping the US. After hurricane Katrina Pakistan pledged to give the US $1m and offered doctors and paramedics.

And you know how much the US is offering them back? $100,000. That's right 1/10th of what they wanted to give the USA

Oh and just in case you think this is just me having a go at America I'm just as disgusted at the UKs initial offer of £100,000 and their current offer of 177.000 isn't that much better even if they are sending a 60 man team to help.

[Fractux]

BBC says 20,000, CBC lists 30,000.

I agree with you Karajorma, Canada only offered $300,000. However, as we all know, it's not just the donated money for a cause, but who is getting the money and supplies they need to help right now.

But as citizens we can donate to rapid response releif agencies. Sometimes its better dollars are going directly to agencies, rather than indirectly through government.

Not to say that the current offers are measly, at best.

[Deepblue]

You realize of course that the US generally sends aid through way of private charities etc.? That's where the real meat is.

Though you are wrong. The US is putting in $500,000 to the American Red Cross for relief + more.

[Flipside]

Agreed, tens of thousands of people have died, yet I promise this will get less airing than the ongoing saga of New Orleans (And don't even get me started on the reoccupation of the city). This deserves just as much attention and help as any other disaster, regardless of where it takes place.

[karajorma]

Originally posted by Deepblue
You realize of course that the US generally sends aid through way of private charities etc.? That's where the real meat is.

Government aid? I'm not talking about private donations here.

Originally posted by Deepblue
Though you are wrong. The US is putting in $500,000 to the American Red Cross for relief + more.

Even if I believe you that's still half of what Pakistan offered them.

If you've got a better source than the BBC feel free to post it. That story is a few hours old now.

Originally posted by Flipside
Agreed, tens of thousands of people have died, yet I promise this will get less airing than the ongoing saga of New Orleans (And don't even get me started on the reoccupation of the city). This deserves just as much attention and help as any other disaster, regardless of where it takes place.

I agree but the fact that the west constantly states that Pakistan is ally should have meant that this story got much more attention than it has.

[Deepblue]

Originally posted by karajorma


Government aid? I'm not talking about private donations here.



Even if I believe you that's still half of what Pakistan offered them.

If you've got a better source than the BBC feel free to post it. That story is a few hours old now.



I agree but the fact that the west constantly states that Pakistan is ally should have meant that this story got much more attention than it has.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/10/09/bush_us_sends_assistance_to_pakistan/

Associated press.

The U.S. Agency for International Development has contributed $500,000 to the American Red Cross for Pakistan relief.

[karajorma]

And I state YET AGAIN that this is half of what Pakistan offered them.

[Flipside]

I always say we live in a topsy-turvy world when we always assume that the locals are 'used' to Tsunami's or Earthquakes because they are Hotspots. Heard this argument tonight, that area of India is a geological hotspot and to a certain degree, the locals were 'used' to disasters...How anyone can assume that poor countries, on account of being poor, have somehow come up with a natural resistance to the death of thousands is.....wierd.

Edit : Does anyone know what sort of help the nearby countries are sending?