NEW casualty figures from the South Asian earthquake have pushed the death toll to more than 79,000.

A strong aftershock shook Pakistan’s portion of Kashmir early today, rattling the nerves of people who survived this month’s quake that killed more than 54,000.

Rains compounded the misery of millions of homeless victims a week after Pakistan’s worst earthquake and briefly grounded relief flights, while a fresh consignment of aid arrived from archrival India with much-needed medicine and tents.

Asian officials conceded today that they failed to issue broad public warnings immediately after a massive undersea earthquake in Indonesia, which could have saved countless lives from the subsequent giant waves that smashed into nine countries.