10,000 quake kids wait ‘2nd wave of deaths’: UNICEF

COPENHAGEN—The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned Wednesday that 10,000 more children could die from hunger, cold and disease in coming weeks because aid has still not reached parts of quake-hit Pakistan.
UNICEF called for immediate steps to push through more supplies, saying that children would be the first victims in a possible “second wave of deaths” as winter approaches.
Up to 120,000 children remain un-reached in mountain areas devastated by the October 8 quake, “of whom the agency estimated some 10,000 could die of hunger, hypothermia and disease within the next few weeks”, it said in a statement.
“The relief effort is becoming more complex with each passing day,” the statement quoted UNICEF executive director Ann Veneman as saying at the agency’s global warehouse in Copenhagen.
UNICEF called for more helicopters to help reach survivors in isolated mountain areas, where access was difficult even before the quake, which destroyed most roads and paths.
“There are still too few helicopters to reach more than 1,000 remote villages with life-saving supplies that children urgently need”, Veneman said, adding that the agency also lacked humanitarian partners to make deliveries.
“Given the intermittent shut-downs of the air corridor because of bad weather, the consequences for sick and injured children could be grave”, she said.
The process of foreign aid for the affected of earthquake continued on the 11th consecutive day on Wednesday and six more aircrafts of different countries carrying various relief goods arrived at the Chaklala Airbase till Wednesday evening.
A cargo aircraft of the USAID carrying 5000 blankets, 1000 cherry canes and 420 roles of plastic sheets arrived here at the Chaklala Airbase. An Airbus from Canada carrying a team of 140 Army doctors landed here.The doctors team was immediately rushed to the quake-affected areas.
Similarly, a boeing 747 of China Southern cargo carrying 95 tonnes of blankets and other goods arrived here early Wednesday. A boeing aircraft from Lebya load with 130 box of medicines,980 plastic sheets, blankets arrived here.
A cargo aircraft from Geneva carrying 40 tonnes tents, kitchens and food items landed at the airbase. A C-130 of Turkish Air Force carrying 10.5 tonnes of medical equipments, medicines, water and 22 health persons landed at the Chaklala Airbas. Three Ministers of the Turkish government were also accompanied with the relief goods.
Similarly, two more helicopters one each from Russia and Tajikistan arrived to join the ongoing rescue and relief operations. The total number of helicopters has now reached to 50 including, USA-12, Afghanistan-4,Germany-2, Japan-4, Russian and Tajikistan one each while the rest are of the Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force and Navy.
The sources close to ISPR told APP that two new base camps have been established to further speed up the relief operation for feeding the affected areas of Jehlum and Neelum valleys. The relief goods to Jehlum valley are arriving by road and their further tranportation to the forward areas is being carried out by helicopters . However, relief goods to the Neelum valley base camp are arriving by helicopters and the same are further being transported to forward areas through helicopters. The base camps would not only ensure the timely and smooth flow of aid to the quake affectees but also regulate the vital aid goods being sent to the inaccessible areas, they added.—Agencies