Telecoms Charity Sends Aid to Pakistani Earthquake Victims

Reacting to the 6.5 earthquake in Pakistan Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF) deployed a team of emergency telecommunications specialist on Friday. TSFÃ's team which includes a volunteer of the Asian Institute of Technology took off from its Asian base in Bangkok and landed in the capital Islamabad to be deployed to the affected Province of Balotchistan as soon as possible.

According to local sources, phones lines have been cut off.

TSF will run humanitarian calling operations so that those affected can give news to their family and ask for personalized assistance. TSF will also make sure rescue teams have sufficient communication means to respond to the disaster and communicate right at the heart of the affected area. If needed, TSF will install Emergency Communication Centres with a satellite-based Broadband Internet connection, voice communications and all the necessary IT equipment.

The government estimates that more than 300 people have been killed and dozens have been seriously injured. More than 2,000 houses have been destroyed in several villages. Rescue teams are concentrating efforts on building shelters for at least 3,000 people to protect them from extremely cold nights in this mountainous area.

This is TSFÃ's 8th emergency deployment since the beginning of the year. It is also the second time TSF intervenes in Pakistan. On October 8th 2005, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake killed more than 75,000 people in the Pakistani Kashmir. TSF which had responded for more than one month to the emergency had helped 70 aid organizations and offered free calls to almost 2,200 affected families.

This mission is supported by the Vodafone Group Foundation, the United Nations Foundation, Inmarsat, Eutelsat, Vizada, AT&T, Cable & Wireless, PCCW Global and the Regional Council of Aquitaine.

TSF still deployed in Honduras and Central African Republic

Also, TSF is still deployed in Honduras to support the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination teams (UNDAC). 200,000 people have been affected by serious floods and TSFÃ's support facilitates aid coordination.

TSF is also in the Central African Republic (CAR) to support the work of the NGO International Rescue Committee (IRC). To facilitate coordination of IRCÃ's operations Télécoms Sans Frontières is installing HF radio links to connect IRCÃ's offices in Bangui to those in Bocaranga and Kaga-Bandoro situated respectively 400 and 250 kilometers from the capital. TSF already equipped IRCÃ's vehicles with radio systems to ensure staff security and enable communication from the remotest areas of the country.

On the web: Télécoms Sans Frontières

Posted to the site on 2nd November 2008