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Relief Work Continues in Pakistan Despite Poor Weather
Jessica Barry, Courtesy of ICRC
Friday, January 06, 2006 — KASHMIR, Pakistan – After being grounded for two days by torrential rains in Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) helicopters were able to take to the air on Jan. 3 and re-supply basic health-care units in Cham, Pathika and Chinari.
(Photo Credit: Jessica Barry/ICRC)
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ICRC medical teams reported that many tents in villages and settlements had collapsed under the weight of rain and snow when the bad weather set in on Jan. 1, 2006. No major increase in the number of patients coming to the basic health-care units with illnesses related to the cold weather has yet been observed. However, it is expected that many patients will arrive in the coming days should the cold snap continue, as forecast.
Tumbling rocks and boulders have made driving extremely hazardous; so, too, have the slippery road conditions. Landslides blocked road access to the Neelum and Jhelum valleys soon after the weather turned bad. The ICRC was forced to stop all field trips by road for the first two days of January, leaving a relief convoy of 18 trucks packed with household items and food standing idle.
ICRC water engineers and field officers, unable to travel, helped to unblock clogged drains, ditches and manholes in makeshift camps in and around Muzaffarabad. Shovels and pick axes were distributed to volunteers, who were organized into teams to dig drainage channels so that the muddy, stagnant water that had flooded into the tents could drain away.
On a happier note, a baby girl was born in a basic health-care unit run by the German Red Cross in the afternoon of Jan. 2, 2006. Both mother and daughter were fine and went home before nightfall.
This article, which was originally published on Jan. 3, 2006, appears courtesy of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
A Note Regarding In-Kind Donations
Please remember that the American Red Cross is not able to accept small, individual donations or collections of items for emergency relief supplies. The decision to transport bulk donations from the U.S. is based solely on the needs identified by the relief operation and the availability of local resources. If you represent a company wishing to offer supplies in bulk, please contact your local Red Cross chapter.
Every day people around the world are suffering from disasters, like the cyclone in Myanmar. You can help those affected by this crisis and countless others around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation by either contacting 1-800-HELP NOW or mailing your donation, with the designation, to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013.
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