Earthquake in Pakistan
Pope John Paul II is said to be the most recognized person in the world. During his year as a leader of the church, he has spoken a massage of task and trust to youthful people all over the world. When he was visiting Canada in 1984, he told young people that Jesus represents God’s love for us. He told that Jesus tells us that we can also live in love, like he had. Through the love of Jesus we can learn to love people that are around us and God. This demands a more specific attention to the world of so-called "old" age, in order to help its members to live their full potential by placing them at the service of the entire community. The elderly need to be understood and helped in this perspective.
As this report’s meaning is to look for other communities around the world which are helping the world to make it a better place to live in. One that I chose is about the recent earthquake in Pakistan. In this essay, I expect to discuss the services in communities and humanity that are helping others, how and why they are helping. Many have died and are dying over sickness and injuries unless we and our community take action to provide the necessary help they need. We can only imagine that how different the community would be, if it’s beginning with the family and it tries always to remain open and welcoming towards newcomers. Caring for the people made me chose the topic and also because of my background is from Pakistan, thinking about the people who have died could’ve been one of my relatives. It made me talks about the topic and tells others to help somehow, also to awake their love for others. We should all reflect upon how important it is that each community accompany with loving understanding those who needs it much.
A major earthquake on Saturday October 8th, 2005 with the magnitude of 7.6 measured in a rector scale; occurred in northern Pakistan. The earthquake also affected the adjacent part of India and Afghanistan. There is no confirm reports how many people have been died but it is thought that over 80 thousands of people have been killed however it has been increasing day by day. As well as the same amount of injured people they have been treating and treated. The amounts of injured and deceased people are less in India and Afghanistan; however they need as much support as it can be provided.
This deadly earthquake destroyed and badly damaged the northern side towns and villages in Pakistan. As most of remote areas of North and North West Pakistan have been hit, the access to these remote areas has been closed due to road damages. Pakistan's top priority, Musharraf said.[1] "Communication has broken down; roads are damaged," he said. "Telecommunications and electrical lines are destroyed." There were also triggered ground, landslides and flattened apartment buildings have been found. It is feared that more people may be trapped under collapsed buildings and hope to find them underneath those buildings and junk.
An estimated of three million people are homeless, and winter is just a couple of weeks away. People in the mountainous areas will start moving down for help as weather gets colder. People in Pakistan will have to suffer hail, rain and snowstorms; it’s making a desperate situation even worse. Winter temperatures in the region can fall as low as -5°C (23°F). The President of Pakistan Pervez Mussruf appeals for donating generously to Pakistan’s quake victims. With some towns and villages completely flattened, Pervez Musharraf has requested and required of continuous support from the comity of nations, donors and relief agencies in carrying out the enormous reconstruction and rehabilitation work in the quake hit areas. He told the reporters that Pakistan needed "massive cargo helicopter support" and aid supplies.
The President said that orphans, destitute, widows and trauma patients would be converted on right of way basis. The President renewed his personal commitment in reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts and said he would remain occupied in the whole process. The military demeanor search and rescue maneuvers are trying to reach the effected areas with the help of helicopters.
Pakistan and neighboring countries face many obstacles and dangers as they work to reach survivors. There are place where help couldn’t reach yet because of the landslides triggered by tremors have closed major roads. The large numbers of people, harsh conditions, limited road access, and limited helicopter airlift capacity present huge logistical challenges. Many of the injuries have become gangrenous because the wounds couldn’t be properly cleaned. Even many survivors whose wounds were properly treated have broken bones not yet properly set. As survivors reach field hospitals, the medical staffs have performed thousands of amputations to keep gangrene from killing the patients.
There are two critical needs that require immediate and sustainable response and for which immediate solutions need to be found. The first need is providing medical care and medicines to the injured since all government hospitals in the area have been destroyed. Teams of independent doctors from other parts of the country along with army medical staff are providing some basic access, however a recently set up army medical camp in Muzaffarabad seems to have no bandages, gauze or painkillers. The second medium to short term requirement is to provide some kind of shelter before the winter sets in.
To help the homeless people survive the cold, Islamic Relief and other comities will be providing quilts, stoves and reinforcement sheets for the camp. Islamic Relief has launched a worldwide $10 million appeal for emergency disaster relief for earthquake victims. Of this, $4 million has already been allocated for immediate relief projects. Islamic Relief staffs were on the ground within hours of the disaster, and immediately conducted a needs-assessment.
[2]We provided some camp management training to the Elders Committee and the Government officials in charge of the camp, to help them with distribution systems, hygiene sensitisation, problem identification procedures and the like, said Rehman.
Islamic Relief Pakistan's healthcare center in some areas began receiving and treating the injured soon after the earthquake. There are more than ten medical clinics operated by Islamic Relief in the earthquake-affected areas. Islamic Relief’s Pakistan and other Emergency Officer, Mr Shafeeq-ur-Rehman flew into the affected area by helicopter and gave a first-hand witness report of the situation. Also the World Health Organization has declared the earthquake to be of far greater impact than the recent South Asia tsunami; over three million people have lost their homes, their families and their livelihoods. [3]“We have lost an entire generation,” army sources said.
The Canadian international development agency granted $500,000 to world vision. World vision assure that they will use the money to purchase and distribute tents, blankets, and house items, to at least 5000 people in Mansehra, Pakistan. U.S. officials say they have sent $17 million of their original pledge of $50 million to groups that are providing assistance on the ground. U.S. aircraft have delivered hundreds of tons of food and supplies to Pakistan, and 19 helicopters are helping to bring in supplies and evacuate survivors. U.S. officials are also encouraging Americans to donate privately and are promoting an international donors' conference for quake relief.
U.S President George W. Bush has offered all assistance to India and Pakistan for dealing with the massive earthquake that claimed thousand of lives and left trail of destruction in Border States of both countries
[4]The people of the united states offer our deeps sympathies for the loss of life and destruction caused by the earthquake that struck outsides of Islamabad” bush said
The worldwide relief agency of the Episcopal Church, Provides money and recourses in time of emergency or disaster through church world service (CWS). It has had relief and development operations in Pakistan for more than 50 years. CWS is supporting 15,000 of the worst affected families with food packages and shelter kits, and providing medical assistance to 100,000 through two health centers. They are also providing house reconstruction kits which have done well in shelters. [5]"This is going to be the one remembered as the earthquake that killed the children," says Church World Service Pakistan/Afghanistan director Marvin Parvez, of the Oct. 8.
Many disaster like earthquake happened in the world, in which we are living in. Whenever other needs any help in any charity and any helpful organization every one took part in it like it’s there own family member who they are helping by creating those organizations. I would do the same in these conditions, helping the victims of any disaster and giving them courage to not lose their hope over the dead ones, believe in God and believe in themselves. Whatever it is, do not let the numbers simply wash over you. Do not let the freezing child or the hungry family suffer anymore. I ask everyone to donate for this noble cause. May God give courage to everyone who are effected by the earthquake.
[1] http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/10/12/quake.asia/
[2] http://www.islamic-relief.com/submenu/About%20Us/visits/pakearthquake.htm
[3] http://www.worldvision.ca/home/index.cfm

[4] http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=56211

[5] http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/fromthefield/284081/112913896670.htm