Quake survivors face threat of disease

FOREIGN rescue teams left earthquake-torn Algeria yesterday, but the nightmare went on for 15,000 homeless people facing the threat of disease and public fury mounted over the government’s handling of the calamity.

State radio said there were fears disease could break out across ravaged towns of the North African country’s Mediterranean coast due to a lack of clean water and sanitation.

The official toll from last Wednesday’s quake, which at 6.7 on the Richter scale was Algeria’s most severe in more than two decades, rose slightly to 2,212 dead and 9,085 injured.