Landslides have destroyed roads and bridges, which makes rescue efforts all the more difficult. Thirty to forty percent of the impacted areas have not been reached by rescue teams. It is now estimated that as many as 2.5 million may be in need of emergency shelter as cold weather approaches.
National Council of Churches in Pakistan puts the estimate of lives lost at over 40,000. “Thousand of people have lost their lives, thousand are injured and millions have become homeless – children became orphans, women widows, schools, hospitals, Government infrastructure completely destroyed, roads and communication have been cut off. In these hours of agony and distress NCC-Pakistan are acting immediately to help the distressed people with medicine, tents, food, clothes and blankets etc.” The Southern Asia Office of Global Ministries has been in contact with Rev. Victor Azariah, General Secretary of NCC Pakistan and will be supporting their relief work. Victor Azariah reports that the weather is cold and rainy and there have been roughly 150 aftershocks, so people in the affected areas are reluctant to seek shelter in those buildings which remain standing.
Rev. Enos Das Pradhan, General Secretary of the Church of North India, wrote “Our concern goes to the people of Pakistan which suffered the heavy toll. I send an email to Bishop Malik this morning expressing our concern and prayer.” CNI is working with CASA to respond to the devastation in Indian-controlled Kashmir. All assistance is being managed, however, by the Church in Srinigar due to restrictions on access to the Kashmir Province. Global Ministries will be supporting this relief effort.
Global Ministries’ primary partner in Pakistan is Church World Service (CWS). One Great Hour of Sharing and Week of Compassion are responding to the CWS Appeal. Church World Service is operational in Pakistan and has dispatched assessment teams and basic health units into devastated areas. The Southern Asia Office has been in contact with Marvin Pervez, Country Director for CWS, who reports that CWS has been able to send 8000 shelter kits and 8000 food packages. They are preparing to respond to the needs of 15,000 families, along with establishing medical camps to serve 50,000 to 100,000 people.
Parts of Indian controlled Kashmir also reported losses and devastation. Global Ministries is also in communication with our partner in disaster relief in India, Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA), to assess their need for our support in responding to the situation in that region.
