Tracking: Pakistan Earthquake, Attacks in Somalia

Published October 30, 2008 @ 11:52AM PT

[Pakistan earthquake - Footage from Islamic Relief]

Pakistan Earthquake:

The official toll of yesterday's Pakistan earthquake is now 236 killed, with over 400 injured. The World Health Organization estimates that the earthquake displaced at least 20,000 people. As a local rescuer described:

"Thousands of houses are in ruins. The road from Quetta to Ziarat, a stretch of some 70km, has huge cracks in it and this is making it difficult to bring in relief or take people who need hospital care to Quetta."

With aftershocks continuing, tens of thousands huddled outdoors last night in freezing temperatures. According to Raheema Bibi, a pregnant mother of two:

"It was so cold that I gathered my two children near me and rubbed their bodies to keep them warm because I was worried about them getting very sick. Both my children are already sick with fever. I am very worried about them and myself."

Others voiced frustration with the slow pace of relief operations. As one villager told IRIN:

"My family and I, including my four young grandchildren, spent all night outdoors, without any kind of shelter. No tent and no blankets were provided to us. We just pulled out our quilts from our house and huddled under them."

Added another:

"We thought we would freeze. We have been waiting for help but we have no tent, no food, no medicine for my children."

Somalia Attacks:

The death toll in yesterday's suicide bombing attacks in Somalia has risen to thirty.

This includes two UN staff who died when a car bomb exploded at the UNDP compound in Hargeissa.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the two UN staff - Mohammed Geele and Sayid Hashi - and all other victims of these attacks.

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Author

Michael has worked for NGOs in Afghanistan, across east and central Africa, and Iraq. Prior to going overseas, he worked on a project providing assistance to the United Nations on the application of International Humanitarian Law to the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.