The Kashmir earthquake (also known as the Northern Pakistan earthquake or South Asia earthquake) of 2005 was a major seismological disturbance (earthquake) that occurred at 08:50:38 Pakistan Standard Time (03:50:38 UTC, 09:20:38 India Standard Time, 08:50:38 local time at epicenter) on October 8, 2005 with the epicenter in the Pakistan-administered region of the disputed territory of Kashmir. It registered 7.6 on the moment magnitude scale making it a major earthquake similar in intensity to the 1935 Quetta earthquake, the 2001 Gujarat Earthquake, and the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
As of 8 November, the Pakistani government's official death toll was 87,350. Some estimate that the death toll could reach over 100,000.
Most of the affected areas are in mountainous regions and access is impeded by landslides that have blocked the roads. An estimated 3.3 million were left homeless in Pakistan. The UN reported that more than 4 million people are directly affected, as winter snows start. Many of them are at risk of dying from cold and the spread of disease. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz made an appeal to survivors on 26 October to come down to valleys and cities for relief. It has been estimated that damages incurred are well over 5 billion US dollars.
The earthquake
Kashmir lies in the area where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates are colliding. Out of this collision, the Himalayas began uplifting 50 million years ago, and continue to rise by about 5 mm/year. This geological activity is the cause of the earthquakes in the area.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured its magnitude as 7.6 on the moment magnitude scale, with its epicenter at 34° 29' 35? N, 73° 37' 44? E, about 19 km (11.8 miles) northeast of Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, and 100 km (65 miles) north-northeast of Islamabad (Pakistan). The hypocenter was located at a depth of 26 km (16.2 miles) below the surface (USGS). The Japan Meteorological Agency gave it a magnitude of 7.8. The earthquake is classified as "major" by the USGS. (By comparison, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake had a magnitude of 9.15.)
The earthquake caused widespread destruction in northern Pakistan, as well as damage in Afghanistan and northern India. The worst hit areas were Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), and western and southern parts of the Kashmir valley in the Indian-administered Kashmir. It also affected some parts of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the city of Karachi experienced a minor aftershock of magnitude 4.6.
There have been many secondary earthquakes in the region, mainly to the northwest of the original epicenter. 147 aftershocks were registered in the first day after the initial massive quake that hit at 8:52 am, one of which had a magnitude of 6.2 (a tremor of magnitude six is rated as a "strong" earthquake). Twenty-eight occurred with a magnitude greater than five during four days after the principal quake and even eleven days after, there were still major quakes. For example, on 19 October there were a series of strong aftershocks one with a magnitude of 5.8, which occurred about 65 km (40.5 miles) north northwest of Muzaffarabad. (See USGS for a list of recent aftershocks.)
Casualties
Most of the casualties resulting from the earthquake were in Pakistan where the official death toll has topped 90,000 and is expected to continue to rise, putting it higher than the massive scale of destruction of the Quetta earthquake of May 31, 1935. 1,300 deaths have also been confirmed in India.
As Saturday is a normal school day in the region, most students were at schools when the earthquake struck. Many were buried under collapsed school buildings. Many people were also trapped in their homes and, because it was the month of Ramadan, most people were taking a nap after their pre-dawn meal and did not have time to escape during the quake. Reports indicate that entire towns and villages were completely wiped out in Northern Pakistan with other surrounding areas also suffering severe damage.
"...a second, massive wave of death will happen if we do not step up our efforts now?, Kofi Annan said on 20 October with reference to the thousand remote villages in which people are in need of medical attention, food, clean water and shelter and the hundred and twenty thousand survivors that have not yet been reached.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz "made the appeal to survivors" on 26 October to come down to valleys and cities for relief, because bad weather, mountainous terrain, landslides and blocked roads are making it difficult for relief workers to reach each house and the winter snows are imminent.
Rescue and relief operations
Relief efforts in many remote villages are hampered, as roads are buried in rubble and many affected areas remain inaccessible. Heavy equipment is needed to clear the roads and to rescue survivors buried under the earthquake wreckage, as many rescuers are still picking the rubble with pickaxes and their bare hands, looking for survivors.
Rescue effort are also affected by the numerous aftershocks that continue to rattle the region and put rescue workers in danger as they search through the wreckage for survivors.
In many areas there is no power, or adequate food or water; there is also the danger of disease spreading, including measles. Distributing relief supplies to the victims is especially urgent as the victims face the risk of exposure to cold weather due to the region's high altitude and the approaching winter. Food, medicine supplies, tents and blankets have been identified by relief workers as essential items. On October 10, the United Nations warned that the earthquake left 2.5 million people homeless and they are in need of shelter. The UN made an appeal to raise US$272 million to help victims.
On October 13, snow started to fall on the Indian side of Kashmir. Many regions are facing an increasing threat of being cut off from help as snow forces closures of even more roads in the mountainous region.
The magnitude of this disaster is so vast that the Pakistani Government alone cannot provide relief to the people affected by this earthquake. The response of the people of Pakistan to help the government in its relief efforts has been overwhelming in the shape of donations, relief goods and volunteers working in the hospitals and the earthquake hit areas. The injured are being ferried from remote areas to the hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad through helicopters every day. The relatives of these injured patients follow them to the twin-cities by road and pursue a long and painful search for their loved ones. Devastated with heavy losses of human lives and homes, these poor people often travel on foot from one hospital to another looking for their injured loved ones.
(Above excerpts taken from Wikipedia)
Terrible tragedy with so much loss of life. The death toll has crossed 90,000, the injured figures have crossed 100,000+ and 5 million+ people are homeless in snow and rain. The monetary losses are in excess of 5 billion US dollars. Please help as much as you can.
URGENTLY NEEDED:
You can also send the tents/camps to the consulates or the Embassy of Pakistan:
Los Angeles Consulate
New York Consulate
Chicago Consulate
Houston Consulate
Boston Consulate
Information about the events can be found in the following links:
Wikipedia - 2005 Kashmir earthquake
In depth: South Asia Quake
Quake crisis overwhelms Pakistan
At a glance: Quake impact
Indian Kashmir quake toll doubles
Quake kills 400 schoolchildren
In pictures: Pakistan and India earthquake
Pakistan toll reaches 20,000
South Asian quake toll nears 20,000
Leaders plead for help after Asia quake
U.S. sending money, helicopters to Pakistan
Foreign aid effort gets under way
Aid begins arriving in quake zone
Quake survivors found in Pakistan
Survivors search remains of Balakot
BBC reporter's Kashmir quake ordeal
Anger erupts in Kashmir quake town
Rescue task pictures
Quake toll soars as aid falters
Five children pulled from rubble
Quake a calamity, Indian PM says
Asian press sees glimmer of hope
Cold is new danger for quake victims
UN seeks $272m urgent quake aid
'Forsaken victims' of earthquake
Google News
Indian help amid disease threat
Fear over quake disease outbreak
Musharraf 'saddened' by aid delay
Quake crisis brings rivals closer
Poor thinking hinders relief work
The struggle to treat quake victims
Donate here:
Unicef
Kashmir International Relief Fund
Red Cross/ Red Crescent
MKRF Earthquake fund
Oxfam
World Food Programme
Network for Good - Help Victims of South Asia Earthquake
DEC ASIA QUAKE APPEAL (UK)
Embassy of Pakistan - Paypal - Online and Credit Cards Donations
In Pakistan:
Even better than sending monetary aid would be to purchase tentss and send them to Pakistan because even with all the monetary aid, camps are not available here at all. Refer to quoted text above.
The donations can be made through the following account:
Name of Account : Consulate General of Pakistan
Account No : 00990-41526
Bank of America, California
For wire transfers:
Routing/ABA#121 ? 000 ? 358
Swift code: BOFAUS6S
President's Relief Fund Account
Account No. 1001003931
National Bank of Pakistan
1875 Connecticut Avenue
Washington D.C. 20009
For Wire Transfers
Routing/ABA No. 026004721
Swift Code: NBPAUS33
Donations can be made through checks payable to President?s Relief Fund. All such checks should be mailed to the Head of Chancery, Embassy of Pakistan, 3517 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008.
Online (Paypal) and credit card donations could also be made through the Embassy's website in the Rising Leaders? Account. Click here
?Earthquake Relief Cell? has been established in Prime Minister House. It will work round the clock and will receive complaints from the earthquake affectees. The phone numbers are: (+9251) 9213891 or (+9251) 9222999.
http://www.pakquake.com/missing-people/are-you-affected/
Embassy of Pakistan,
3517 International Court, NW,
Washington, DC 20008
USA
For further information, call the Prime Minister?s Relief Cell at +9251-9213891 or +9251-9222666
The President of Azad Kashmir?s Cell can be contacted on +9251-9209650
Edhi Foundation:
Karachi - +9221-2201261
Lahore - +9242 - 5414211
Islamabad - +9251 - 2827844
Multan - +9261 - 4583906 / 4549938
Quetta - +9281 - 2830832 / 2830861
Edhi International Foundation
42-07 National Street
Corona, NY 11368
USA
SOS
Islamabad - +9251-2201125
Lahore - +9242-5866546
The Citizens? Foundation
+9221 565-3195, 567-1127
Email: quake-relief@thecitizensfoundation.org
More donation links...
In India:
The Prime Minister's National Relief Fund(PMNRF), provides immediate relief to people in distress. The Fund depends entirely on voluntary donations received from the public.
Checks/Money Orders should be drawn in favor of "Prime Minister's National Relief Fund" can be sent to any one of the following addresses:
* Prime Minister's Office,
New Delhi 110011.
INDIA
OR
* Prime Minister's National Relief Fund
Embassy of India
Attn: Head of Chancery
2107 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
For Contribute Online or e-Deposit details and more information on PM's National Relief Fund Website- (Prime Minister's National Relief Fund)
As of 8 November, the Pakistani government's official death toll was 87,350. Some estimate that the death toll could reach over 100,000.
Most of the affected areas are in mountainous regions and access is impeded by landslides that have blocked the roads. An estimated 3.3 million were left homeless in Pakistan. The UN reported that more than 4 million people are directly affected, as winter snows start. Many of them are at risk of dying from cold and the spread of disease. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz made an appeal to survivors on 26 October to come down to valleys and cities for relief. It has been estimated that damages incurred are well over 5 billion US dollars.
The earthquake
Kashmir lies in the area where the Eurasian and Indian tectonic plates are colliding. Out of this collision, the Himalayas began uplifting 50 million years ago, and continue to rise by about 5 mm/year. This geological activity is the cause of the earthquakes in the area.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured its magnitude as 7.6 on the moment magnitude scale, with its epicenter at 34° 29' 35? N, 73° 37' 44? E, about 19 km (11.8 miles) northeast of Muzaffarabad, Pakistan, and 100 km (65 miles) north-northeast of Islamabad (Pakistan). The hypocenter was located at a depth of 26 km (16.2 miles) below the surface (USGS). The Japan Meteorological Agency gave it a magnitude of 7.8. The earthquake is classified as "major" by the USGS. (By comparison, the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake had a magnitude of 9.15.)
The earthquake caused widespread destruction in northern Pakistan, as well as damage in Afghanistan and northern India. The worst hit areas were Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP), and western and southern parts of the Kashmir valley in the Indian-administered Kashmir. It also affected some parts of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the city of Karachi experienced a minor aftershock of magnitude 4.6.
There have been many secondary earthquakes in the region, mainly to the northwest of the original epicenter. 147 aftershocks were registered in the first day after the initial massive quake that hit at 8:52 am, one of which had a magnitude of 6.2 (a tremor of magnitude six is rated as a "strong" earthquake). Twenty-eight occurred with a magnitude greater than five during four days after the principal quake and even eleven days after, there were still major quakes. For example, on 19 October there were a series of strong aftershocks one with a magnitude of 5.8, which occurred about 65 km (40.5 miles) north northwest of Muzaffarabad. (See USGS for a list of recent aftershocks.)
Casualties
Most of the casualties resulting from the earthquake were in Pakistan where the official death toll has topped 90,000 and is expected to continue to rise, putting it higher than the massive scale of destruction of the Quetta earthquake of May 31, 1935. 1,300 deaths have also been confirmed in India.
As Saturday is a normal school day in the region, most students were at schools when the earthquake struck. Many were buried under collapsed school buildings. Many people were also trapped in their homes and, because it was the month of Ramadan, most people were taking a nap after their pre-dawn meal and did not have time to escape during the quake. Reports indicate that entire towns and villages were completely wiped out in Northern Pakistan with other surrounding areas also suffering severe damage.
"...a second, massive wave of death will happen if we do not step up our efforts now?, Kofi Annan said on 20 October with reference to the thousand remote villages in which people are in need of medical attention, food, clean water and shelter and the hundred and twenty thousand survivors that have not yet been reached.
Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz "made the appeal to survivors" on 26 October to come down to valleys and cities for relief, because bad weather, mountainous terrain, landslides and blocked roads are making it difficult for relief workers to reach each house and the winter snows are imminent.
Rescue and relief operations
Relief efforts in many remote villages are hampered, as roads are buried in rubble and many affected areas remain inaccessible. Heavy equipment is needed to clear the roads and to rescue survivors buried under the earthquake wreckage, as many rescuers are still picking the rubble with pickaxes and their bare hands, looking for survivors.
Rescue effort are also affected by the numerous aftershocks that continue to rattle the region and put rescue workers in danger as they search through the wreckage for survivors.
In many areas there is no power, or adequate food or water; there is also the danger of disease spreading, including measles. Distributing relief supplies to the victims is especially urgent as the victims face the risk of exposure to cold weather due to the region's high altitude and the approaching winter. Food, medicine supplies, tents and blankets have been identified by relief workers as essential items. On October 10, the United Nations warned that the earthquake left 2.5 million people homeless and they are in need of shelter. The UN made an appeal to raise US$272 million to help victims.
On October 13, snow started to fall on the Indian side of Kashmir. Many regions are facing an increasing threat of being cut off from help as snow forces closures of even more roads in the mountainous region.
The magnitude of this disaster is so vast that the Pakistani Government alone cannot provide relief to the people affected by this earthquake. The response of the people of Pakistan to help the government in its relief efforts has been overwhelming in the shape of donations, relief goods and volunteers working in the hospitals and the earthquake hit areas. The injured are being ferried from remote areas to the hospitals of Rawalpindi and Islamabad through helicopters every day. The relatives of these injured patients follow them to the twin-cities by road and pursue a long and painful search for their loved ones. Devastated with heavy losses of human lives and homes, these poor people often travel on foot from one hospital to another looking for their injured loved ones.
(Above excerpts taken from Wikipedia)
Terrible tragedy with so much loss of life. The death toll has crossed 90,000, the injured figures have crossed 100,000+ and 5 million+ people are homeless in snow and rain. The monetary losses are in excess of 5 billion US dollars. Please help as much as you can.
URGENTLY NEEDED:
You can also send the tents/camps to the consulates or the Embassy of Pakistan:
Los Angeles Consulate
New York Consulate
Chicago Consulate
Houston Consulate
Boston Consulate
Information about the events can be found in the following links:
Wikipedia - 2005 Kashmir earthquake
In depth: South Asia Quake
Quake crisis overwhelms Pakistan
At a glance: Quake impact
Indian Kashmir quake toll doubles
Quake kills 400 schoolchildren
In pictures: Pakistan and India earthquake
Pakistan toll reaches 20,000
South Asian quake toll nears 20,000
Leaders plead for help after Asia quake
U.S. sending money, helicopters to Pakistan
Foreign aid effort gets under way
Aid begins arriving in quake zone
Quake survivors found in Pakistan
Survivors search remains of Balakot
BBC reporter's Kashmir quake ordeal
Anger erupts in Kashmir quake town
Rescue task pictures
Quake toll soars as aid falters
Five children pulled from rubble
Quake a calamity, Indian PM says
Asian press sees glimmer of hope
Cold is new danger for quake victims
UN seeks $272m urgent quake aid
'Forsaken victims' of earthquake
Google News
Indian help amid disease threat
Fear over quake disease outbreak
Musharraf 'saddened' by aid delay
Quake crisis brings rivals closer
Poor thinking hinders relief work
The struggle to treat quake victims
Donate here:
Unicef
Kashmir International Relief Fund
Red Cross/ Red Crescent
MKRF Earthquake fund
Oxfam
World Food Programme
Network for Good - Help Victims of South Asia Earthquake
DEC ASIA QUAKE APPEAL (UK)
Embassy of Pakistan - Paypal - Online and Credit Cards Donations
In Pakistan:
Even better than sending monetary aid would be to purchase tentss and send them to Pakistan because even with all the monetary aid, camps are not available here at all. Refer to quoted text above.
The donations can be made through the following account:
Name of Account : Consulate General of Pakistan
Account No : 00990-41526
Bank of America, California
For wire transfers:
Routing/ABA#121 ? 000 ? 358
Swift code: BOFAUS6S
President's Relief Fund Account
Account No. 1001003931
National Bank of Pakistan
1875 Connecticut Avenue
Washington D.C. 20009
For Wire Transfers
Routing/ABA No. 026004721
Swift Code: NBPAUS33
Donations can be made through checks payable to President?s Relief Fund. All such checks should be mailed to the Head of Chancery, Embassy of Pakistan, 3517 International Court, NW, Washington, DC 20008.
Online (Paypal) and credit card donations could also be made through the Embassy's website in the Rising Leaders? Account. Click here
?Earthquake Relief Cell? has been established in Prime Minister House. It will work round the clock and will receive complaints from the earthquake affectees. The phone numbers are: (+9251) 9213891 or (+9251) 9222999.
http://www.pakquake.com/missing-people/are-you-affected/
Embassy of Pakistan,
3517 International Court, NW,
Washington, DC 20008
USA
For further information, call the Prime Minister?s Relief Cell at +9251-9213891 or +9251-9222666
The President of Azad Kashmir?s Cell can be contacted on +9251-9209650
Edhi Foundation:
Karachi - +9221-2201261
Lahore - +9242 - 5414211
Islamabad - +9251 - 2827844
Multan - +9261 - 4583906 / 4549938
Quetta - +9281 - 2830832 / 2830861
Edhi International Foundation
42-07 National Street
Corona, NY 11368
USA
SOS
Islamabad - +9251-2201125
Lahore - +9242-5866546
The Citizens? Foundation
+9221 565-3195, 567-1127
Email: quake-relief@thecitizensfoundation.org
More donation links...
In India:
The Prime Minister's National Relief Fund(PMNRF), provides immediate relief to people in distress. The Fund depends entirely on voluntary donations received from the public.
Checks/Money Orders should be drawn in favor of "Prime Minister's National Relief Fund" can be sent to any one of the following addresses:
* Prime Minister's Office,
New Delhi 110011.
INDIA
OR
* Prime Minister's National Relief Fund
Embassy of India
Attn: Head of Chancery
2107 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20008
For Contribute Online or e-Deposit details and more information on PM's National Relief Fund Website- (Prime Minister's National Relief Fund)
