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Iran quake toll reaches 540, survivors plead for help (Lead)
Tehran, Nov 14 (IANS) The death toll in the devastating 7.3-magnitude earthquake that struck Iran in a region bordering Iraq has reached 540, with thousands of Iranians struggling to cope without basic necessities and making desperate pleas for help.
Rescuers used heavy equipment to dig through the debris of toppled buildings on Tuesday and the government scrambled to get aid to the worst-hit Kermanshah province where hundreds of homes were destroyed, the BBC reported.
The number of victims in Sunday’s quake, which also injured close to 8,000 people, was expected to rise as efforts continued to clear the rubble from 30,000 destroyed homes.
The quake struck about 30 km south of the Iraqi town Darbandikhan, near the north-eastern border with Iran.
Night-time temperatures in Kermanshah province fell close to freezing point for a second night in succession.
Ali Gulani, 42, who lives in the province’s badly-hit town of Qasr-e-Shirin, told BBC that people were burning crates to try to stay warm.
“We are living in a tent and we don’t have enough food or water. You can hear children crying, it’s too cold. They are holding on to their parents to warm themselves – it’s pretty bad,” he complained.
Gulani said there were an average of three strong aftershocks an hour, triggering panic. Close to 200 aftershocks have hit the region since Sunday night. It was one of the strongest on earth this year as well as the deadliest.
Ahoora Niazi, who lives in Sarpol-e Zahab in Kermanshah province, filmed scenes of ruin and posted the videos on the social media.
They included a desperate plea: “Please don’t stop helping. We need water, we need food, like bread, and we need blankets.”
“The weather is turning colder now. No one has anything to keep warm, not even tents. Please help us. I plead with the people of Iran for help,” he said.
President Hassan Rouhani visited Sarpol-e Zahab town and expressed his condolences to the distraught families.
“I call on all governmental and military officials and all NGOs to help the Housing Foundation and do not do separate work. Of course they can plan and work for providing schooling services,” Rouhani said in a statement.
The head of the Revolutionary Guards, Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari, said the immediate need was for tents, water and food.
Search and rescue operations are almost complete while relief operations could take months, Mansoureh Bagheri, director of international operations at the Iranian Red Crescent, told CNN on Tuesday.
More than 500 villages in the region suffered damage. Many of the villages affected by quake were very remote and hard to reach, said Bagheri.
“The priority now is for emergency sheltering and food,” she said. Bagheri estimated that 70,000 people could be affected by the earthquake.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society has deployed 16 response teams, 31 sniffer dog teams, 41 debris removing teams, 48 emergency sheltering teams and nine emergency treatment teams in the hardest-hit areas.
Tuesday was declated a national day of mourning in Iran as officials described the levels of destruction in some parts as “total”.
–IANS
soni/mr
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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