Sept. 27: Pakistan Earthquake The death toll in Pakistan rose to 515, with more than 600 people injured following a 7.7 magnitude earthquake Sept. 24. Buildings have been reduced to rubble and individuals are believed to be buried beneath. Rescue and relief efforts are underway. However they are being thwarted by militant attacks from insurgents. October is the hottest month in Pakistan and today the temperature is close to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. More than 21,000 houses were destroyed and people are living in makeshift tents. Most homes there are made of brick and mud and offer little chance of withstanding an earthquake. 60% of Pakistan’s population lives below the poverty line. An aftershock of 4.9 magnitude struck on Sept. 27 but the level of additional damage is unknown. Rescuers tried to reach the remote areas of the the Baluchistan province but are hampered by a lack of infrastructure. Medical personnel are on the scene but do not have enough medical supplies, so they are largely providing people with emotional comfort. The Western Union Company and The Western Union Foundation today announced support for disaster relief efforts that will help the families and communities affected by the devastating earthquake in Pakistan. The Western Union Foundation is making a grant of US$50,000 to Save the Children to support the organization’s immediate response activities, which include providing emergency materials, meals and water to disaster victims. The Western Union Company will activate a no-fee* money transfer transaction program from participating Agent locations in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to Pakistan, through October 13, 2013. Screen Shot 2013-09-27 at 12.07.40 PM Screen Shot 2013-09-27 at 12.07.29 PM Screen Shot 2013-09-27 at 12.07.07 PMSources: BBC, Reuters, The Western Union - See more at: disasterphilanthropy.org/news/sept-27-pakistan-earthquake/#sthash.iNwg1wd9.dpuf
Posted on: Sat, 28 Sep 2013 00:29:30 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015