Medical care and shelter needed in earthquake zone, World Vision is helping

By October 13, 2005

Pakistan (MNN) — Thousands are dead or missing. Thousands more are hospitalized. Many are unconscious. They have no identity. No family. No friends. They’re survivors of the Pakistan/India earthquake and many more of these survivors in this predominately Muslim area need help both physically and spiritually.

World Vision is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide. World Vision’s James East says the first distribution was completed near the epicenter in Balakot, Pakistan. “It was a city that was completely decimated. Wherever you looked the buildings were flattened and there are literally thousands of people in the city who have either poured down from the surrounding villages or who are from the city itself who are left basically to get aid.”

East says the quake affected many young people as it hit during school. “One of the schools in the center of this place (was) completely crushed. And, inside were hundreds of students. And, as we went past there were still soldiers trying to find out if there was anyone left alive.”

Basic emergency supplies are being distributed; water, food, clothing, hygiene kits, and more. East says medical care is also a great need right now. Because of the destruction, many of the survivors are in poor shape. “A lot of the survivors have horrible injuries. They’ve got broken, fractured legs, head injuries, people have wounds that are becoming infected. They have abdominal injuries.”

Many of the victims haven’t had treatment, and aid is difficult to distribute, says East. “It’s quite chaotic at the moment. You have all these small time groups up there giving out assistance and then thousands of people desperately trying to get ahold of whatever they can.”

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