Relief for the massive earthquake in Pakistan: efforts of local residents should not go to waste

Abstract

Large-scale natural disasters are happening frighteningly too often, and global warming has been implicated. The earthquake in the mountainous region of Pakistan on 8 October last year, however, occurred within a known geological earthquake zone. I originate from the earthquake-ravaged region and I kept a log of the updates that I received from my elderly parents living in Abbotabad through weekly telephone calls. The events described below are largely based on that, and recount the sterling effort of the local community of the town of Abbottabad who took the brunt of the immediate relief work for a large devastated and displaced population. The relief and rescue operations will officially come to an end by May 2006. However, the reconstruction work will continue for a long time to come and will require ongoing generous support of the international community.