World Vision Responding to Devastating Earthquake

"Can you help us bury our dead?" survivors asking aid agency.

Islamabhad, Pakistan (PRWEB) October 10, 2005 -- World Vision, the international Christian humanitarian organization, is sending assessment teams to three of the most severely damaged areas of Pakistan and India affected by today's earthquake.

"The situation is desperate, several villages have been decimated," says Sigurd Hanson, World Vision director in Pakistan. "The people I've spoken to have asked World Vision for relief supplies and burial cloths, saying, 'We know you. Can you help us bury our dead?'"

Can you help us bury our dead?

The situation is desperate, several villages have been decimated

The people I've spoken to have asked World Vision for relief supplies and burial cloths, saying, 'We know you. Can you help us bury our dead?'

I feel the aftershocks as I sit here trying to contact my staff in the north

What complicates things is that it's remote and the roads most likely are destroyed.

"I feel the aftershocks as I sit here trying to contact my staff in the north," Hanson said. "What complicates things is that it's remote and the roads most likely are destroyed."

World Vision has been working with local communities in northern Pakistan for two years in response to a series of natural disasters, including flooding, severe snowstorms and landslides.

As with similar disasters, the immediate needs for survivors include blankets, food, water and medicines. All items are available for purchase locally, Hanson said.

World Vision has worked in Pakistan in the 1980's and closed its programs in Pakistan due to political instability. The offices were re-opened in 2001 and staff have been engaged in health and other relief activities.

Anyone wishing to donate in response to the earthquake may visit
http://donate.wvus.org/OA_HTML/xxwvibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?section=10025&item=456&lid=pakistan_donatebutton&lpos=main, phone toll-free 888-56-CHILD, or send a check to World Vision, P.O. Box 70288, Tacoma, Washington 98481.

About World Vision
World Vision is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty.

Contact:
Dean R. Owen, (253) 815-2103 (office); (888) 734-8938 (pager)
Steve Panton, (202) 572-6454 (office), (202) 492-6556 (cell)

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pakistan earthquake world vision humanitarian organization christian humanitarian organization earthquake relief pakistani aid disaster relief earthquake donations christian relief poverty relief

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