Officials in earthquake-hit Pakistan say search and rescue operations for any survivors have ended, and that the effort now is to provide relief for millions of people who are hungry and left out in the open.
United Nations emergency relief coordinator Jan Egeland told a news conference in Islamabad Friday the cruel reality is that very few people can survive after a week. So, he said, aid agencies are now focusing on providing food and shelter to the millions who need it.
He appealed for more helicopters to get relief supplies into remote regions. Mr. Egeland said it will take five-to-10 years and billions of dollars for the area devastated by the October eighth quake to return to normal.
Weather experts say a thunderstorm is expected in Pakistan in the next 24 hours and that it may hamper relief efforts.
Earlier today, Pakistan was jolted by another strong aftershock. Local meteorological officials say such seismic activity could continue for months. The official death toll so far stands at more than 25,000 in Pakistan and 14,00 in Indian Kashmir.
