CRS distributions of emergency relief supplies are underway and reaching as many as 50,000 people in the most devastated areas affected by the South Asia earthquake. In the past few days in the villages around Balakot, Shangla and Menshera, CRS provided critically-need tarps, plastic sheeting, kitchen sets, heavy quilts and blankets to thousands of families. CRS hopes to support an estimated 500,000 people in the coming months and remains especially concerned with shelter and access to the most remote populations.

The damage, in many places, is unfathomable. Balakot, a once bustling small town in this touristy region of Pakistan, is nearly flattened in its entirety.

“The buildings that are left upright in Balakot are so few, and have so much structural damage, that it is safe to say the town has no buildings left standing,” said Shannon Oliver, CRS camp manager. “Even more devastating is the smell of death that hangs heavily in the air. Psychologically, when thinking about these human beings who have yet to be found or buried by their family, it’s traumatizing.”

Catholic Relief Services is accepting financial donations for the earthquake victims. People who would like to support the agency's efforts in may send donations to CRS marked:

"Pakistan Earthquake Relief"
Catholic Relief Services
209 West Fayette Street
Baltimore, MD 21201-3443

Because of the difficulty in transporting material goods, the agency asks that only monetary donations be sent to them. For more information, call 1-800-736-3467 or visit the Catholic Relief Services web site at http://www.crs.org/our_work/where_we_work/overseas/asia/south_asia_earthquake/update101805.cfm.

Catholic Relief Services is the official overseas relief and development agency of the U.S. Catholic community. Founded in 1943, the agency provides assistance to people in more than 80 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Catholic Relief Services provides assistance on the basis of need, not race, creed or nationality.