Viviane Dalles

- INDIA: Earthquake, Indian Kashmir

- Assignment Paris-MATCH -

The Earthquake wich devastated northern India on october 8th, in Jammu and Kashmir, left 1300 dead, 9500 injured and destroyed over 75 000 houses. The most afected districts were Uri and Tangdhar (situated on the LoC, "Line of Control"), which lies 80 kilometers from the quake's epicentre, Muzzafarabad in Pakistan.

The Indian government, the army, NGOs and local people were trying to bring support to the victims, bringing tents, blankets, food, medecine and clothes. But their efforts are hampered by the sheer inaccessibility of the affected villages, perched high in the mountains. The only solution is access by air using helicopters or hours by foot on mountain paths. One week after the catastrophe several villages had yet to receive aid. Already traumatized and deprived, people were worried about their futur.

Uri, Kashmir, 10.11.05. The road linking the 2 Kashmirs, inaugurated by the Indian Prime Minister Mannhoman Singh and the Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on April 2004, were totally blocked by rockfalls.
   
Teetwall, Tangdhar ( LoC, Line of Control), Kashmir. 10.13.05.
   
Kamal Kote village (3000 inhabitants). Uri, Kashmir. 10.11.05. Kamal Kote was one of the most affected villages in Uri (250 dead, 17 missing persons) The injured were lifted to hospitals in Srinagar by Indian army helicopters. Food and medecine were brought in on horseback by the Indian army.
     
  
Kamal Kote village (3000 inhabitants). Uri, Kashmir. 10.11.05. Kamal Kote was one of the most affected villages in Uri (250 dead, 17 missing persons) The injured were lifted to hospitals in Srinagar by Indian army helicopters. Food and medecine were brought in on horseback by the Indian army.
   
Srinagar, Kashmir, 10.14.05. Soura hospital. Injured were brought in by the Indian army (by helicopter) or by their famillies. Every day new injured arrived from the distant and isolated villages.
  
Jabla, Kashmir.
     
  
Tangdhar ( LoC, Line of control), Kashmir. 10.13.05. At the hospital (400 admissions, 15 doctors).
   
Tangdhar (in the LoC, Line of Control), Kashmir, India. 10.13.05. Food distribution by volunteers from a neighbouring village.
   
Teetwall, Tangdhar (in the LoC, Line of Control), Kashmir. 10.13.05.
     
  
Jabla, Kashmir, 10.15.05. 1200 inhabitants, 24 dead, 60 injured, 100% of houses damaged. Temporary shelter.
   
Tanghdar, Kashmir. 10.12.05. Mahomed JABAR BAAT's family lost their home. They spent the evening at a neighbour's house before returning to sleep in their tent.