South Asia earthquake 2005
Our earthquake response has reached nearly one million people. Three years on, we continue to help improve the rights of affected communities.
- 73,000 lives lost
- 3.3 million people made homeless
On 8 October 2005 an earthquake devastated parts of Kashmir, and the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan.
Oxfam responded rapidly
With winter approaching and a second disaster waiting to happen, we responded rapidly where help was needed most:
On film: Distributing aid to inaccessible villages
And on a massive scale
Our response has helped around one million people.
Three years since the earthquake struck, we are continuing to support survivors by helping them rebuild their lost livelihoods.
Learn more
An unimaginable situation
Those of us who were outside survived the earthquake. My husband had no time to get out. The hills started to fall on top of us. Our land keeps jerking, and we are afraid that this will happen again and that the hills will destroy us.
Najam Bibi, northern Pakistan - Oct 05
The 2005 South Asia earthquake devastated a region covering 30,000 square miles. As well as a huge loss of life:
- Houses, public buildings, infrastructure and communication systems were destroyed
- 3.3 million people were made homeless
- Thousands were left without land on which to rebuild
Fast response
With the official start of winter occurring just days after the earthquake, Pakistani authorities, aid agencies, and donors, acted quickly to provide communities with shelter, warm clothes and blankets, so averting a second disaster.
Difficult conditions
The mountainous terrain and extreme weather conditions, combined with aftershocks and frequent landslides, made the task of providing relief a formidable one.
Despite the difficulties, a lot has been achieved and people have begun rebuilding their lives.
Still more to do
The Pakistani government is providing financial support, guidelines and training for building earthquake-resistant housing. Schools and homes have been rebuilt and people are finding new ways of making a living.
However, construction materials are not available everywhere and it is difficult to find well-trained teachers, especially women. The tense political situation in Pakistan has at times led to insecurity and delays in reconstruction.
Oxfam's response
The generosity of the public and other donors has enabled us to help around one million people affected by the earthquake.
An immediate response
In the six months after the earthquake, working in over 200 different camps and villages, we:
- Delivered blankets and other essential items
- Distributed ‘winterised’ tents and shelter materials, to help people survive the harsh Himalayan winter
- Helped people recover ways of making a living
- Provided water and sanitation facilities
Aiding recovery
Our emergency work will continue until the end of 2008.
We are:- Repairing and building water and sanitation facilities in mountainous areas and village schools
- Assisting people to regain ways of making a living
- Supporting communities to rebuild their own homes
- Providing public health training for health workers, teachers and community volunteers
- Supporting government reconstruction planning, to ensure that it is fair and accountable
- Lobbying on critical issues to improve the rights of affected communities
Oxfam receives award
Our emergency response was awarded one of Pakistan's highest national awards, the Sitar e Sesar. We would like to thank everyone who supported our response and made this work possible.
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