Kashmir Earthquake Relief Fund
(A children of Kashmir & Imran Khan Earthquake relief
Fund Effort)
Background:
Jammu and Kashmir was affected with
one of the worse natural catastrophes in the last century to hit this region. The Himalayan region’s worst recorded earthquake in almost
two centuries has revived terrifying memories among Kashmir’s elders of the
devastation they had heard of as children — a 7.0-magnitude temblor in 1885
that killed more than 3,000 people in the Kashmir Valley and nearly destroyed
the picturesque expanse. (Khaleej Times)
Current
Situation:
With winter just six weeks away, the
United Nations said 2.5 million people in the
worst-hit areas near the mountainous Pakistan-India border need shelter. Estimates of its magnitude varied from 6.8 to 7.8, with the
U.S. Geological Survey putting the number at 7.7, a major earthquake, near the
top of the second-highest category of severity. Its epicenter was roughly 95
kilometers, or 60 miles, north of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, where 20
"significant aftershocks" measuring between magnitude 5 and 6.2 were
felt throughout the day on Saturday. (International
Herald Tribune). “It would be difficult
indeed not to respond with deep empathy to such a heartfelt need after a
tragedy of this scale. Current estimates are that more than 20,000 people
perished in the 7.6-magnitude quake. Entire schoolhouses collapsed, leaving thousands of mourning
parents. Officials warn that a
"whole generation" has been lost with the deaths of so many
children”. (Christian Science Monitor)
"There's no sign of life from here all the way back," said Abdul
Majit, referring to his village of Hariala." There's no food, no
electricity, we only have the clothes we're in. No one has reached them,"
he said. The relief effort is gathering pace but access to remote villages is
likely to be a huge problem for many days to come.
The medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) warned Tuesday there was a risk of an epidemic of water-borne
disease in Muzaffarabad.
Action:
Children of Kashmir is a humanitarian medical organization
run by Professionals of Kashmiri origin across North America and Europe. We have
mainly concentrated our previous medical work in Srinagar Kashmir. Visit us at www.childrenofkashmir.org. We have decided to work in Azad Kashmir in collaboration with the
Imran Khan Earthquake Relief Fund to overcome the problem of health degradation
caused by the earthquake. It is decided that we would make efforts collectively
in furtherance of the above-mentioned objective in the region. Mr. Imran Khan,
the well-known Cricketer, also leads the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust, which
is a non-profit organization with tremendous reputation and record of
humanitarian work in the field of oncology in Pakistan. The Shaukat Khanum
Memorial Trust is presently establishing a camp in Muzzafarabad and has agreed
to foster co-operation in this particular effort. Kindly donate to our effort
and help us bring medical relief to this region.
Donations:
Before
transferring money kindly send us an email or inform one of our representatives
about your donation. (Email address: childrenofkashmir@yahoo.com)
IMRAN KHAN EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND,
SWIFT Code: MUCBPKKAMCC, INTERNATIONAL ROUTING THROUGH:
AMERICAN EXPRESS BANK, NY, USA SWIFT Code: AEIBUS33
OR Tax Exempt in USA to
(Kindly mention
in the menu section of the cheque: Children of Kashmir Fund)