The United Nations appealed Tuesday for 272 million dollars to meet immediate needs in Pakistan after a massive earthquake devastated parts of the country, according to DPA. The appeal covers recovery needs in Pakistan for the next six months, including food, winterized tents, heating equipment, thick blankets, medical supplies, hospitals and helicopters. Hansjoerg Strohmeyer, an official in the U.N. office for coordination for humanitarian affairs, said the Pakistani government had identified its greatest needs. The United Nations said 4 million people have been affected by the 7.6-magnitude earthquake, half of whom are homeless and in acute need of assistance. The killer quake, which hit Saturday, also inflicted damage to parts of northern India and Afghanistan. An estimated 800,000 Afghan refugees live in the quake-hit areas. In Pakistan, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Tuesday confirmed 23,000 fatalities and another 51,000 injured. Unofficial estimates, however, put the fatalities at over 40,000. Strohmeyer said the aid appeal is expected to be revised upwards in the coming weeks to meet new demands as rescue efforts expand to remote areas. The United Nations said the region's geography was hindering the relief effort.
