Death Toll in Pakistan Up to Nearly 40,000
Saturday October 15, 2005 12:46 PM
AP Photo NY123
By ZARAR KHAN
Associated Press Writer
MUZAFFARABAD, Pakistan (AP) - The death toll in Pakistan's devastating earthquake rose to nearly 40,000 on Saturday, while rain, snow and frigidly cold weather compounded the misery of millions of homeless victims.
Heavy rain began falling early Saturday in many quake-hit towns and snow fell in the surrounding mountains, disrupting efforts to help an estimated 2 million people lacking shelter ahead of the harsh Himalayan winter. Downpours earlier in the week had grounded helicopters and stopped trucks loaded with relief supplies.
Helicopter relief flights - which have been ferrying supplies into the quake zone and ferrying out the injured - were halted for about an hour and a half Saturday morning before being resumed, except to the northern town of Balakot where the weather was particularly bad. That left hundreds of injured, cold and terrified people waiting by the helipad, hoping for the weather to clear.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5345878,00.html