Urgent need for winter tents in Pakistan
A second disaster is waiting to happen in Pakistan if victims of the Oct 8 earthquake do not have "winterised" tents as the weather freezes in. Peace Malaysia co-ordinator Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir said each RM380 tent could keep at least five people warm in the sub-zero temperatures expected in two to three weeks.
"I was in Balakot last week and saw that the current tents used by victims are totally inadequate. Even if you place a heater in a tent now, you won’t feel heat. Imagine what it would be when temperatures dip below zero. It would be absolutely frigid," Mukhriz said at Balai Berita here.
He feared the death toll of 60,000 after the Oct 8 earthquake would double if nothing was done soon to prepare for winter. On the tents, obtained from Dubai, Japan and Korea, he said nearly 500,000 were needed. The Airfreight Forwarders Association of Malaysia (AFAM) will be working with Peace Malaysia to provide free freight services to send aid from anywhere in Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Alternatively, they can SMS a donation to the fund by typing GEMPA2 to donate RM2 and GEMPA5 to donate RM5. The public can also deposit cash directly into Bumiputra-Commerce Bank account number 14200-007719-055. Cheques can be made out to "Ehsan Mangsa Gempabumi Asia Selatan" and sent to B-13-D2, Plaza Mont Kiara, No 2 Jalan Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Source: New Staits Times
"I was in Balakot last week and saw that the current tents used by victims are totally inadequate. Even if you place a heater in a tent now, you won’t feel heat. Imagine what it would be when temperatures dip below zero. It would be absolutely frigid," Mukhriz said at Balai Berita here.
He feared the death toll of 60,000 after the Oct 8 earthquake would double if nothing was done soon to prepare for winter. On the tents, obtained from Dubai, Japan and Korea, he said nearly 500,000 were needed. The Airfreight Forwarders Association of Malaysia (AFAM) will be working with Peace Malaysia to provide free freight services to send aid from anywhere in Malaysia to Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Alternatively, they can SMS a donation to the fund by typing GEMPA2 to donate RM2 and GEMPA5 to donate RM5. The public can also deposit cash directly into Bumiputra-Commerce Bank account number 14200-007719-055. Cheques can be made out to "Ehsan Mangsa Gempabumi Asia Selatan" and sent to B-13-D2, Plaza Mont Kiara, No 2 Jalan Kiara, 50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Source: New Staits Times
Angelo Embuldeniya at 9:59 pm |
How far south inside Pakistan have offers of accomodation been extended? If adequate tents cannot be supplied, which seems likely, then can more effort be spent on accomodating refugees in warmer parts of the country?