by Tech. Sgt. Mike Buytas
October 31, 2005
Posted on 12/10/2005 12:08:11 PM PST by Abathar
MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan -- Earthquake survivors are digging graves before the ground freezes in anticipation of the deaths that the long Himalayan winter may bring, the aid agency Oxfam said.
The Oct. 8 quake killed at least 87,000 people and left 3.5 million homeless in northwest Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir. Aid workers have been racing against time to get aid and suitable shelter to the needy.
"There is a real danger that this unprecedented natural disaster will be followed by a manmade one," said Farhana Faruqi Stocker, who is directing relief efforts in Pakistan for the British agency Oxfam.
"The international community must work together and work faster to fulfill its promise to prevent further deaths."
Oxfam said the United Nations has received commitments for just 40 percent of its appeal for quake aid, and that much of the money pledged has yet to arrive.
In some communities people are preparing for the harsh winter by digging graves before the ground freezes, Oxfam said.
Pakistan's army said Saturday it has started replacing the regular tents that many refugees are using with winterized ones, especially in the highlands, where nighttime temperatures already are dropping below freezing.
Pakistan has distributed more than 600,000 tents, but the United Nations has said most are inadequate to face the harsh conditions to come. Forecasts call for the season's first heavy snow next week.
Survivors in many areas have been demanding tents donated from abroad, including the United States, China and Iran, complaining that locally manufactured tents were of poor quality.
Army spokesman Maj. Farooq Nasir would not say how many tents would be replaced, but said troops are working at a brisk pace, already building 50,000 winterized shelters.
"Our soldiers are reaching far-flung areas on foot to deliver aid to survivors while we are continuously using helicopters to provide tents, clothes, food and even corrugated sheets to them," he said.
Nasir said people living on mountaintops in remote villages were reluctant to move to refugee camps at lower levels although aid agencies say some have started coming down. An estimated 400,000 earthquake survivors have been living at above 5,000 feet.
The quake continues to cause problems. Nasir said eight families have been evacuated from the village of Chekar, where landslides caused by the magnitude 7.6 quake have created two huge lakes where the water level is rising.
Geologists fear that any breach in reservoirs would trigger flash floods and might cause severe damage to dozens of villages and some bridges along the Jehlum river.
When you compare this to the whining and moaning coming from the "Katrina survivors," you really want to barf.
I agree -- a lot of people here have no idea how lucky we are to live in America.
If anyone wants to see pictures from our earthquake relief efforts in Pakistan, click here:
You know, that was exactly what I thought when I read this article. I was thinking about the people who couldn't get to the malls because they were relocated out in the boondocks and were whining and crying because they had to walk a mile to get on a bus. I bet there is close to a billion people who would change places with them in less than a second.
What about the moslem world? The Saudi's are richer than Croesus and they don't seem to give a rat's patootie about the rest of Islam.
Oh, sorry,
I forgot. They do lock little girls in burning buildings because their faces are uncovered.
Guess that's being proactive.
Carolyn
by Tech. Sgt. Mike Buytas
October 31, 2005
The ME has more money than God and they're begging us for money..I don't think so.Besides I'm sick of giving to those who hate us and those who don't appreciate what's being done for them.
I'll give to my local church from now on and to heck with everyone else.
I sure can understand your feelings. On the other hand, I've given a little to World Vision in the hopes that maybe some of these folks that get help (especially the kids) will see that we're not the Great Satan.
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