Quake team halts school search

12 October 2005

AMSTERDAM — A Dutch search and rescue team has abandoned the hunt for survivors in the rubble of a school in the Pakistani city of Bagh.

A spokesperson for the Urban Search and Rescue team (USAR) said on Wednesday that there is no hope more children will be found alive in the debris. The school collapsed in Saturday’s earthquake that hit parts of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.

The 61-strong Dutch team is continuing to search for survivors at other locations in Bagh. It is also providing medical assistance to injured people who have come from the mountains following the earthquake.

The USAR arrived in Pakistan on Monday on foot of a formal request from Pakistan’s government on Sunday.

The Dutch are operating in four separate groups. Two of the groups were assigned to search the remains of the school which had 1,100 pupils. A large number of survivors were taken from the rubble before the decision was taken to abandon the search.

“We have stopped the search at the school because there are no more survivors buried under the ruins,” the spokesperson said. The USAR expects to be assigned to another search location outside Bagh.

Dutch aid organisations have launched a joint appeal to raise money for the relief operation in Pakistan. Donations can be made at any Dutch bank via giro 800 800.

Click here to go to the giro 800 800 website and donate online. (Form is in Dutch)

Subject: Dutch news