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Pakistan Recalls 2005 Earthquake

By Prensa Latina,

Islamabad : Three years after the worst natural disaster in Pakistan, Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani admitted on Wednesday that the 2005 earthquake was a national tragedy that affected the country’s economic growth.

Gilani attended the Conference on Policy toward Natural Disaster commemorating the third anniversary of the 7.6 degree earthquake that plunged north Pakistan into death and devastation on the morning of October 8, 2005.

The earthquake was followed by 140 aftershocks, taking 82 thousand lives, and left 300 thousand people injured or homeless, destroyed 600 thousand buildings and houses and 388 hospitals, and 6, 200 schools were partially damaged or destroyed.

Gilani said the nation has lost $5 billion to the disaster and that his government is determined to work rebuilding and restoring devastated areas.

He also said there is a need to draft plans to face natural disasters and increase technical ability in organizations dealing with such disasters.