Final preparation at relief camp-
Lahore |
Final words with the team at Lahore relief camp |
Regrouping the convoy some where in Himalayas-Kashmir |
Bandi
Abas Pur (KASHMIR
- Pounch Sector)
We were all enjoying our
Saturday when disaster struck at around 8:55 am on that dreadful morning
of 8th October, 2005. After that moment, life as we know it,
does not exist anymore for so many of us. In the beginning, like everyone
else we also were not aware of the magnitude and scale of devastation the
earthquake had caused. It took us a couple of days to realize what
actually had happened. By then we had made up our minds that we have to
contribute in any which way we can.
The immediate call to friends and
family gave us a lot of encouragement and by the time we left for
Rawalakot, AJK we had 10 truck loads of relief goods, a mobile operation
theatre, 6 doctors and 21 volunteers. We were directed by the CO Rawalakot
to go to Bandi Abbas pur, a remote town 10 kms short of the LOC and 3 ½
hours drive from Rawalakot.
We reached Bandi Abbas pur at around
noon and were given support by the CO, who provided us with 6 guards and a
huge space in the lawn of a broken down degree college for women. We
immediately set about setting up our equipment and tents etc. and a steady
flow of patients and earthquake affectees started coming in almost
immediately.
The next day, we sent out a team up in
the mountains making announcements that a medical and relief camp has been
set up. The team which had 2 doctors as well, also treated a lot of
patients on the spot as most of the patients were not able to travel down
to our camp. The serious ones were brought back to the camp and slips were
issued to the most deserving so that they could collect food items and
medical supplies from our camp.
During our 3 day camp,
on an average around 1000 to 1100 patients were treated with the following
detail:
Surgical patients
200
Fractures
15-20
Infected wounds
45-50
The
remaining patients were with wounds needing dressings and medical patients
were mostly with RTI, cough, pain & aches and some with diorrehea and
gastrointitis.
The other major activity
was the distribution of relief goods among the affectees.
The truck loads
contained items for around 500 families with the following detail:
Tents, tarpals and plastic sheets
Blankets and Quilts
Warm clothes (Jackets, Sweaters, Shoes and socks)
Food items (Flour, Milk, Cooking Oil, Rice, Sugar, Pulses, Bottled water,
Juices, Biscuits, Tea etc.)
Lanterns, Candles & Matches
If the CO had not lent his support to
us, it would have been almost impossible for us to accomplish what we did
in 3 days. The locals were quite non cooperative and we were amazed to see
their response in even such trying circumstances. They treated us as if we
were from another country, literally, and were not at all appreciative of
our efforts. At the same time there were some local individuals who went
out of their way to support us but on the whole the response was quite
disappointing.
We would like to thank all our
supporters who contributed in the form of cash and kind, army team and Dar
sahib in Bandi without which, this effort would not have been a success.
But the work has just begun and we would continue to ask you to more
support as the rehabilitation work is going to a lot longer then expected.
|
Relief convoy crossing Hanjira-Kashmir |
cobra & 2Tango discussing with the captain for the suitable place
for setting up the field hospital |
It was impossible for us to unload and distribute the relief load of
10 trucks-army Jawans gav us every possible support |
unloading the trucks-in the ground
of destroyed women college. |
Our camp-storage room on
left-hospital & dispensary on right and team tents-destroyed women
college in the back ground-eight girls died in this building. |
surgical patients were treated inside the hospital (white camp-and OPD
patients and goods distribution out side under the umbrellas |
Our first patient -Or on team member, who
fell from the truck and broke his leg-Sureon Shabir & Abbas working on
his leg |
after hearing the news of field
hospital in Bandi, villagers use to bring serious patients on charpai -In
some case it took them 8-10 hours to reach the camp from the
mountains |
Dr. Usman, shabir & Inam fixing
plaster on a broken arm while Dr khurram and Dr. Mudassar looking after
others |
Dr Inam& Dr.
Abbas treating a face injury |
another injured boy ...another
worried father. |
how
long will they survive on the food and supplies we brought…?
May Allah bless us all. |
Inam checking the OPD patients -
his team of pharmacist and volunteers from Islamabad/pindi was a great
support through out the operation |
The team ready fro
the departure to regain energy for the next mission |
Checking coupons & distributing
the relief goods-Coupons were issued by our team after the survey of
their destroyed villages |
Helpless father
& unconscious daughter after the surgery |
Distribution camp - Milk, flour, biscuits,
dates, maze, feeders, oil, blankets, tents, warm clothes, shoes, lanterns,
candles, juices, fruit, kerosene etc. |
Shani-setting up the camp |
CO deployed the
army Jawans to control the frustrated, needy and injured people and
some looters as well |
Some energy after the treatment |
Most of the patients were children, mostly
with head and face injuries |
Our camp was destroyed after a massive rain storm on the 3rd night. |
Camp was destroyed completely but we managed to save almost 100% of
our medicines and relief goods from the rain |
After the storm we were forced to shift our medical camp to the remnants
of destroyed women college-Though it was very dangerous but we had no
choice |
Under construction Hospital of Bandi Abaspur- which is now used as the
main storage of relief goods by the army |
Eddie & Dr. Inam treating in the Veranda of the collapsed building
while others taking care of administrative issues |
Fireman & destroyed camp and college -lonely waiting for PIEKH :)
(Team Joke) |
Talking to the media team along with the son of Prime minister of
Kashmir |
A destroyed class room of a local school |
Our French team member Pierre Joliet relaxing. He was a great support
and real hard working volunteer |
Group photo with son of Kashmir's prime minister |
something is better than nothing |
Jimmy and Jahanzeb serving Iftar dinner to the team. |
Last photo |
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Mission # 2
Chanar Kot
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