Today is Blog Quake Day

It has been nearly 20 days since Pakistan, Afghanistan and India were rocked by the deadliest earthquake to hit the region ever. The toll has risen to 80,000 human lives lost – and will definitely reach beyond.

I visited Kashmir in the days that followed, and the sheer scale of the destruction I saw still haunts me. In some areas, if you did not know what existed there before, there was no way of knowing that the mountain had swallowed up entire settlements. Only the faint stench of decay and a suspicious lack of greenery on that new mountain-side bore testament to what once was.

The worst is not over. Some 800,000 people across the Hindukush now face the risk of dying this winter without immediate provision of shelter. Already, thousands of children, the aged and the injured are believed to be dying every week from hypothermia, malnutritition and their untreated earthquake injuries. Over 40,000 pregnant women are currently in danger of losing their future offspring, and themselves.

In the longterm, who knows what sort of future is before the 3 million people whose security and stability were compromised by the quake. This much is certain - most will have to rebuild their homes, places of work, and communities. Reconstruction will take the time and money of all of those human enough to care.

Please step up and make a contribution. If you’ve already done so, make another. Any and every amount shared will help.

Here are some websites for relief and reconstruction groups.

World Vision

Humanity First

Hidaya

Yes Pakistan

Develop Pakistan

Oxfam

CARE

Sewa