Quake's 'forgotten' victims

Published on Sunday 5 February 2006 01:10

MORE than 2.5 million people remain homeless three months after the devastating earthquake that killed 73,000 in Kashmir.

Despite an enormous aid effort, rescue workers are still finding villages in need of the most basic assistance to survive the harsh winter snows.

More than 69,000 people were seriously injured by the October 8 quake.

Two heavy snowfalls in the past month have hampered the relief operation and tested the population of the mountainous area of Pakistani-controlled Kashmir.

The cold weather has brought a rise in acute respiratory infections which are now the main cause of death recorded by health officials.

Jan Vandemoortele, co-ordinator chief of the United Nations mission in Pakistan, said:

"A long spell of extremely cold weather could endanger many lives."