Quake victims two to a bed in Quetta hospital(Photo: © Kamila Hyat/IRIN)With the death toll now at 200 and 15,000 made homeless, local Christians and CMS partners are already responding to the Balochistan earthquake. John Hayward reports
The shaking in the Quetta home of Joan and Nigel Bull at four o’clock and again at five o’clock in the morning was a bit disconcerting.
But, mindful of the stories of an earthquake in 1935 – that killed over 30,000 people in the city but spared the Christian hospital where the Bulls are based – they went about their business.
Later they heard that the earth tremors were the effects of a major earthquake just 34 miles away.
Although Quetta was undamaged, there was considerable concern about the situation in the more remote areas and worry that aftershocks could have a direct impact on the city itself.
It soon became clear that the situation was devastating for people in the beautiful town of Ziarat, a tourist centre, and many of the small towns and villages to the north of the city and near the border with Afghanistan.
The hospital decided to send a first response medical team to the Ziarat area and Dr Ron Pont, veteran of working in the region, went with them.
The latest news on Wednesday afternoon was that a further quake had disrupted their travel, landslides resulted and their visibility was reduced to 50 feet for some time as the dust spread everywhere. Travel is not without risk.
This aftershock came 12 hours after the first incident. It caused structural damage to some buildings in Quetta and another shock will bring them down. The government has decided to close schools for the next two days.
CMS was quickly checking on the situation and an initial grant of £10,000 is being sent to Quetta Christian hospital to cover initial costs.
Further assistance is being offered but the hospital is reviewing the situation and its capacity before deciding on further action.
Nigel Bull, working with Mr Sameer, the hospital administrator, and Dr Sadrak Jalal, the medical director, is coordinating the planning. He is experienced in planning in emergencies. Other agencies and partners of CMS are also looking at the nature of their response.
CMS supporters are invited to pray for the relief efforts and for all those adversely affected by the earthquake and especially to remember those from the hospital in the immediate medical and practical help they are providing.
Donations towards further help in the area, or to continue to support those affected by the 2005 earthquake would be welcome.
John Hayward is CMS regional manager for Central Asia and Pakistan