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Save the Children Responding to Deadly Earthquake in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan
Westport, CT (October 8, 2005)--Save the Children is moving quickly to respond to thousands of families and children impacted by a major earthquake that struck the subcontinent of South Asia late Friday night (eastern US time) including communities in northern India, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The epicenter of the earthquake was 60 miles from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, which suffered heavy casualties and damage and where Save the Children has had a field office since 1985.
Bruce Rasmussen, the agency's field office director in Islamabad, reported that Save the Children USA's staff members in Islamabad were safe and that its offices did not suffer major damage. He noted that an apartment building in the city had collapsed, with as many as 60 families inside.
Rasmussen said the agency has been in contact with government and United Nations officials, as it began working immediately to provide assistance to earthquake victims. Save the Children currently operates health and education programs for thousands of Pakistani children and their families as well as Afghan refugees who live in Pakistan.
"We have been experiencing a number of aftershocks throughout the day," said Rasmussen as night fell in South Asia. (The region is nine hours ahead of the U.S. eastern time zone.) "It may be somewhat of a sleepless night for many of us. We are concerned about being caught asleep in our houses in case of a major aftershock."
Government officials feared the death toll from the 7.6 magnitude earthquake could reach into the thousands, with the quake leveling homes, schools, and businesses. At least ten aftershocks followed the earthquake, causing additional casualties and causing landslides that blocked roads and delayed relief efforts. The earthquake also impacted families in India and Afghanistan, where Save the Children also operates programs and is assisting in relief efforts.
"Our initial response will be focused on meeting the immediate needs of children and their families, including providing food, water, medicines and temporary shelter," said Rudy Von Bernuth, who heads Save the Children USA's emergency response team.
"Once again we are calling on the American public to support our emergency response efforts as they have for our work in assisting children impacted by the December 26 tsunami in South Asia and the recent hurricanes on the Gulf Coast."
Media Contact: Mike Kiernan, 202-261-4686; cell phone: 202-460-0614; email: mkiernan@dc.savechildren.org
