Earthquake 2005: challenges for Pakistani psychiatry

Abstract

At 8.52 a.m. on 8 October 2005 an earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck the northern part of Pakistan and devastated large areas of North West Frontier Province and Azad Kashmir. Almost 90 000 people died and many thousands were reported missing. Half the dead were estimated to be children, killed in their classrooms. Some 3.5 million people were rendered homeless. The mountainous terrain made relief work a logistical nightmare.