The other day when I posted the news on earthquake in Islamabad, I had sketchy information. It was some fifteen minutes past nine when i first learnt of the 7.6 tremors and the collapse of a building in Islamabad. Logging onto newsites, most reports were focussing on the devastation in Kashmir, Islamabad/R.Pindi and some of that information i started putting up in comments.
At that time all media had on hands was information from the capital and from the media's point of view, the collapsed Margalla Towers made great footage, any experts that they called in were from the Met office whoe went on about the kinds of quakes and its magnitude this time round.
and then reports started coming in and i went in a freeze.
if i thought islamabad was badly hit, it was nothing compared to waht happened up north.
I have an album from my trip with Uni to the Northern Areas in the summer 0f 2000. We went to Balakot, the same hamlet where 400 school children died. and that too was nothing. We were stopped on the trecherous mountain raods by random landslides, trapped on raod for more than six hours. the FWO was quick, they had dyanamite to blow up the landsliding. and that took six hours. the northern areas of Pakistan are essentially cut off from the country. just one road snakes through the mountain ranges. waht would be the speed of relief operations reaching the place is a disturbing thought. at least the nation has woken up and is responding to aid pleas.
and so is teh world chipping in. Its disturbing TV and newspapers. Mom's so upset that we are thinking of banning her from watching any more TV.
What's happened has happened. What is important is the rescue and rehabilitation work.
And prayers. Humans have an amazing coping up mechanism. if rescue teams can reach in time, those buried under the rubble can still come out live.
i have to stop thinking on what has happened and work on what can be done.
and pray that money raking bastards who remain so irrespective of what hits their cities/villages refrain from their activities for just a while. those profiteers...i am not even sure of what kind of help is needed. Monetary? try paying a mother who's lost all her kids in the school collapse. food packets? clothes? medicines? I just wish I were a doctor or even strong enough to fly up north and do my bit. life sitting here and paying token lip service sucks.
Monday, October 10, 2005
Aftermath
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Earthquake in Islamabad
Scaree news to start the day.
News of a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Extending to New Delhi in India, Sri Nagar in Kashmir, Peshawar and Lahore in Pakistan.
Listening to Geo Tv's audio streaming on the web I wonder and pray for the safety of everyone.
experts say it could have been and would be better if its a defocussed quake, with major seismic activity deep underground and few tremors reaching up, thus lessening chances of damage and casualties.
Reports also say that people are in a panic and out of their homes since morning.
With no access to TV and without actual footage of the happenings I am quite worked up too.
At teh same time I wonder if all this makes for such good TV, would the media cash in on the panic, as is their wont and whip up a quake frenzy? Exaggerate?
Please pray for Saadat and Ajmal Sb. And everyone else.
Updates in comments and updated pic at 12:15 pm.
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
Vanity check
Cocktails at Ajmal Sb's place:
This is me, plain and simple:
How to make an A
Ingredients:
1 part competetiveness
3 parts courage
1 part leadership
Method:
Blend at a low speed for 30 seconds. Add a little cocktail umbrella and a dash of fitness.
With frills and fancies, erm, all caps as initials are to be:
How to make an A
Ingredients:
3 parts mercy
3 parts crazyiness
5 parts beauty
Method:
Stir together in a glass tumbler with a salted rim. Serve with a slice of emotion and a pinch of salt. Yum!
I can't decide which one to disagree more with!
And yes, nothing better that I could come up with either.
This was better and, erm, truer:
| A may explode without warning |
| M EXPLOSIVE |
