Caritas Internationalis- Pakistan- Emergency Assessments taking place after earthquake kills hundreds

(Social Justice South Africa; c.f. Caritas Internationalis 29/10/08)

Article by Marc Aupiais

In the early hours of this morning, an earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter Scale, hit Southwest Pakistan. The death toll, at the time Caritas Internationalis published this fact, was already in the hundreds, and is expected to rise. The humanitarian organization has a good track record, and well trained staff in Pakistan, where in 2005 they responded to another major earthquake, which hit the north of the country. The organization is (At the time they published this fact) doing Emergency Assessments of the situation, before deciding on how best to act in response to this disaster.

Pakistan is currently in a civil war, with rebels suspected to have ties with the Taliban, and Al Qaeda. The government does not have enough resources to adequately take care of its people according to the BBC.