As the cataclysmic earthquake of October 8 swept across South Asia, millions were left destitute, injured and bereaved. In the worst-hit areas, up to 90% of towns and villages were wiped out. Temperatures plummet as winter closes in. Rescue attempts were hampered by blocked roads and continuing aftershocks – and countless victims of the devastation still urgently need help, if they are to survive this winter.

Measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale and followed by powerful aftershocks, the earthquake flattened everything in its wake. In Pakistan, the traditional stone and mud-sided buildings crumbled, leaving little hope of survivors. Those who did escape slept in the fields, too terrified to return to their homes. “The sheer scale of destruction was dumbfounding” said Indrika Ratwatte, one of the UN Refugee Agency’s representatives in Pakistan.

The demand for aid was overwhelming. Tents and plastic sheeting, food, water, blankets, sanitation and medical supplies were urgently needed – as well as helicopters to transport them. Landslides and blocked roads hampered rescue efforts, putting those in remote areas increasingly at risk.

The UN Refugee Agency reacted instantly, releasing emergency supplies within hours of the disaster and distributing some 2,000 tonnes of aid by the end of the month. From the outset, our supporters rallied to raise desperately needed funds – saving the lives of countless men, women and children. But the sheer numbers affected mean we urgently need more. All our stocks have been drained, which could have disastrous consequences: “Supplies need to be replenished quickly so the UN Refugee Agency can meet other emergency demands,” says the UN Refugee Agency’s Chief spokesperson Ron Redmond. “This means additional funds are needed from donors.”

In the wake of the disaster, we helped set up camps for the homeless right across Pakistan and Kashmir – bringing hope to those who had lost everything. Mohammad Ashram, a teacher in the village of Muslimabad in Kashmir, lost four pupils – and his own beloved five-year-old daughter. “This is our last ray of hope,” he said of the Bassian camp, where he and his remaining family sought shelter. “I have nowhere to go to and am very grateful for this assistance.” But without his little girl he feels “totally lost.” Other parents were luckier.

Another father at the camp rescued his young daughter, Bibi Saima, from under a collapsed roof. It took five hours to dig her out, but despite his fears, little Bibi was one of the lucky ones.

Afghan refugees in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan were among the casualties. Driven from their homeland by conflict, these vulnerable people were left with nothing once again. They are still surviving in makeshift camps. But the camps are ill-equipped to withstand the long months of winter. Tents – particularly “winterized” ones remain a pressing need, if these beleaguered people are to survive this new crisis.

As time goes by, it is hard to impress upon people strongly enough the apocalyptic impact of this disaster. It is difficult to conceive a tragedy on such a scale. Although we have raised millions, we need many millions more – simply to ensure that every man, woman and child affected receives the bare essentials to survive the winter. Now, more than ever, the survival of vulnerable people who have lived through this terrible earthquake depends on donations. We have faith that our supporters will help.

First Aid arrives in devastated village

Muzafarabad, October 12, 2005. A crowd of people gaze anxiously skywards as a plane comes in to land. As it touches down, they rush forward, desperate for food and help. Four days ago, their village was one of hundreds decimated by the catastrophic earthquake. In its wake, more than a hundred people in this close-knit community are dead, others are trapped in the ruins of houses flattened by the force of the quake. Mohammad Jamil is one of many trying to take wounded relatives onto the plane “No one has come until now,” he says as he moves forward, cradling his injured daughter in his arms.

TOP: Survivors in Bassian camp, one of eight temporary camps set up by UNHCR and the Pakistani military to house people displaced by the earthquake, Balakot, North West Frontier Province.
© UNHCR/B.Baloch

Ways to give:
Join our Emergency Response Team (ERT)

Our Emergency Response Team (ERT) is trained to react instantly to any refugee crisis. Often the first on the scene, the team organises vital basic help for people forced to fl ee their homes. From delivering tents and arranging healthcare, to purchasing trucks to transport water and distributing food to the hungry, the ERT needs to get help to those who need it – fast.

By supporting the team with a monthly gift, you can help provide the steady, reliable income that enables them to prepare for emergencies. In return, you’ll receive an exclusive membership card and inside briefings and news on the team’s lifesaving work in the field.

In one month alone, your $25 gift could provide 7 children left out in the cold by the earthquake with warm blankets. Another, it could pay for enough soap for 12 refugee families to keep infections at bay. Another month, your donation could enable 25 boys and girls from Darfur who were forced into Chad to attend primary school for a year...

You choose how much you wish to donate each month. It’s up to you whether to give through your chequing account or credit card. You even have the option of changing the size of your gift or cancelling at any time.

To join the Emergency Response Team or for more information, call 1-877-232-0909 or visit www.unhcr.ca/ERT