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Teams in India-controlled Kashmir provide emergency help after earthquake

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"Immediately after the earthquake our team in India-controlled Kashmir set off to try and reach the most severely affected regions," says Hans van de Weerd, MSF country coordinator in New Delhi, India.

Both the Indian and the Pakistani regions of Kashmir were affected by last Saturday's earthquake that measured 7.6 on the Richter Scale. MSF is running a psycho-social project in the Indian region of Kashmir.

"The Tangdar region has suffered greatly from the earthquake," says Van de Weerd. "The region is very difficult to reach. Reports estimate that hundreds have died there. Our teams have already reached the towns of Baramullah and Uri.

"The hospital in Uri was completely destroyed, as were the majority of the houses there. We've heard from people there that many of the local villages have been heavily hit too. Most of the survivors are now staying in their villages with their possessions. For that reason, there is a great need for tents."

"The personnel from Uri's hospital have set up an emergency hospital and a number of tents. Our teams have given an emergency supply of bandage material and IV fluid. They have also left 800 blankets for the most severely affected survivors in the Uri area."

"Baramullah was less affected. The hospital was not damaged and has already treated approximately 250 wounded people. We've already sent two trucks with tents, bottles of drinking water and food to that location."

"We are working in the hospital in Srinagar, the capital of India-controlled Kashmir. It has received many of the disaster's victims from the Uri region. MSF has donated bandage material and is now organising shipments of more medicine."

"In the coming days we will continue to assess needs and ship more medical supplies and emergency material. In addition, we plan to focus on psychosocial support for those who have lost members of their families. Many children who have lost their parents are in a terrible situation."