Airborne Relief Efforts Resume
Helicopter relief flights across Pakistan’s quake zone continued Monday after a weekend of torrential rains and winds temporarily halted both governmental and charitable air-based relief efforts. Eight international medical teams took off from Muzaff
Helicopter relief flights across Pakistan’s quake zone continued Monday after a weekend of torrential rains and winds temporarily halted both governmental and charitable air-based relief efforts.
According to the Associated Press, eight international medical teams took off from Muzaffarabad, Pakistan to outlying villages, as fear grew for the millions of survivors without shelter, food, or healthcare in the mountainous regions. U.S. diplomat Geoffrey Krassy estimated that even after a week of search-and-rescue and relief operations, about one-fifth of the populated areas has yet to be reached.
"There are serious patients with infected wounds and gangrene," said Sebastian Nowak of the International Committee of the Red Cross, after a team of its doctors landed in Chekar, about 40 miles east of Muzaffarabad.
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The weekend's rain and snow had also stranded trucks with relief supplies for the worst hit areas of Uri and Tangdhar, and officials raised the estimates of the death. According to local officials, at least 40,000 died and that toll could go much higher. In total, there are more than 54,000 dead from the quake, including more than 13,000 in Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province and about 1,350 in the part of the divided Kashmir that India controls.
Many of those who lost their lives were children who were either at school or at home when the monster quake hit.
"This is going to be the one remembered as the earthquake that killed the children,” said Marvin Parvez, a Methodist and the Pakistan/Afghanistan director for Church World Service.
With winter soon approaching and snow visible along nearby mountain ranges, all efforts have shifted from search-and-rescue to shelter and relief for the survivors. The United Nations estimates that 2.5 million are in need of shelter and access to clean water.
“[There is a] tremendous need right now. People have lost their homes and need shelter. People are very scared, and they can't afford to lose any more loved ones,” said Parvez.
In addition to the financial support, Parvez is asking for prayer from U.S. Christians and supporters of the relief efforts. "We need prayers for parents who lost their children," he said, "and for children who lost their parents."
