An etherealgirl's Adventures in Cyberland

Saturday, October 08, 2005

killer quake hits south asia: over 3,000 dead

More heartbreaking world news, this time centered primarily in Pakistan, but also affecting parts of India and Afghanistan.

The casualty toll from the 7.6-magnitude tremor was rising early Sunday as rescuers struggled to dig people from the wreckage, their work made more difficult as rain and hail turned dirt and debris into sticky muck. The worst damage was in Pakistan, where the dead included 250 girls crushed at a school and 200 soldiers on duty in the Himalayas.

For hours, aftershocks rattled an area stretching from Afghanistan across northern Pakistan into India's portion of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. Hospitals moved quake victims onto lawns, fearing tremors could cause more damage.

The earthquake, which struck just before 9 a.m., caused buildings to sway for about a minute in the capitals of Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, an area some 625 miles across. Panicked people ran from homes and offices, and communications were cut to many areas.


More prayers and positive thoughts to our brothers and sisters in South Asia. Over and over again this year, we've experienced profound and poignant reminders of our powerlessness over natural disasters. Maybe, if nothing else, these kinds of tragedies serve as wake up calls to what really matters most; an all too painful realization of the fleeting precious gift every single life is. Though it is a heartbreaking way to have to do so, it does often remind us of the common ground that we share, and (hopefully) results in a deepening of our compassion for others.

We truly are one, in our vulnerabilities, our fears, our hopes and our dreams for a safe and secure future.

Posted by etherealfire :: 9:35 PM :: 0 Comments:

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