Pakistan Earthquake Toll Nears 350
The death toll continues to rise from Tuesday's strong earthquake in southwestern Pakistan as officials now say 348 people were killed in Pakistan's Baluchistan province after thousands of mud homes collapsed in the mountainous Awaran district.
Local officials also said on Thursday that more than 500 people were injured in the magnitude 7.7 quake.
Members of Pakistan's military have been deployed to help with recovery efforts.
On Wednesday, Chief of National Disaster Management Authority Maj. Gen. Saeed Aleem told VOA that the government is setting up relief camps in several cities to help those affected by the earthquake.
"We update the information as it comes to us from far flung areas. We would like to give you only the authentic information. Do not believe in hearsay. For the injured, the latest figure is 446. We are trying to set up bases to support these people. Quetta and Karachi will be central bases. Moreover, we are building a big hub in Khuzdar," said Aleem.
Rescue workers are trying to move the injured to hospitals, but their efforts have been hampered by the widespread destruction. A local official said survivors in the area -- which is near the border with Iran -- are in desperate need of tents, medicine and food.
The powerful quake also caused the seabed to rise and created a small island off of Pakistan's southern coast.
It was the worst earthquake to hit Pakistan since 2005, when a quake near Kashmir killed at least 73,000 people.
The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake's epicenter was about 230 kilometers southwest of Dalbandin, in Baluchistan. Reports say the quake was felt as far away as New Delhi.
Source: Voice of America
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