Nato quake relief at full tilt

Nato said today its massive earthquake relief operation in north-western Pakistan and Kashmir had reached its peak, with doctors and engineers repairing roads, schools and bridges before the harsh winter set in.

Nato says it will wrap up its operation in Pakistan on February 1, at the end of a 90-day mandate.

Today, the military alliance said the full contingent of Italian engineers assigned to the Nato Disaster Relief Team had arrived in Pakistan as of December 2.

The engineers brought with them 136 trucks, including dump trucks, trailers, lift trailers, excavators and bulldozers.

“This heavy machinery is essential to expedite the relief efforts,” Nato said in a statement.

It said the Nato airlift had moved about 3,000 tons of tents, blankets, stoves and food into Pakistan on more than 153 flights from Europe.

The aid flights have carried more than 16,000 tents, 500,000 blankets, nearly 17,000 stoves and heaters. They also flew in more than 31,500 mattresses, 3,900 sleeping bags and tons of medical supplies, it said.

Nato doctors at a field hospital set up in the town of Bagh in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir said they had treated 4,015 patients.

Nato’s mobile medical units were also treating survivors.

“Nato engineers are also supporting the Pakistani army in Operation Winter Race,” it said, adding that the aim of the operation was to set up shelters for people living in the mountains before the snow sets in.

An estimated 87,000 people were killed and the homes of 3.5 million others were destroyed when the magnitude-7.6 quake struck Pakistan and Kashmir on October 8.

Since then, many foreign countries, aid agencies and individuals have been helping provide food and shelter to survivors.