Salute to humans

I can recall every bit of those horrible days, when sky was falling and earth was shaking. Man was mourning on the cruelty of nature and feeling proud on fellow humans.
This is about my voluntary emergency traveling to Muzzafrabad, which was worst hit by the earth quake of 8th October, 2005..

Muzzafrabad was built in the "V” made by junction of two rivers, Neelum and Jehlum. . The Neelum River has clear water which reflects the bluish tinge of sky. Hence called Neelum means blue. River Jehlum has muddy water. Two streams of water; blue of Neelum and muddy of Jehlum flow parallel for about two kilometers before final mix up. Joining point is called Domail, means meeting of two. There were elegant buildings, comfortable hotels, small roads, narrow bridges and fresh water springs. People here were hospitable, soft spoken and docile. They had traditions of making shawls of lambs wool and furniture of walnut wood. You could take more than 200 stairs to reach a narrow street bazaar at the centre of city. All above was now like seeing some ancient civilization struck by a calamity.

An American Cargo Black Hawk helicopter on emergency rescue and supply mission to Muzzafrabad, picked us from Rawlpindi. The hind side of this helicopter was open to drop the goods for trapped people. I was seeing every thing on ground very clearly. Road which linked Muzzafrabad to Islamabad was missing and pushed to river by the massive land slides after the shakes. Bridges were broken. Beautiful Cottages and Hotels on the sides of river were no more there. The two storey school was collapsed. Later, I came to know that many children died here. Dome indicated the remnants of mosque. Ever busy, narrow street bazaar was like a mount of bricks and sheds. The hospital, where I used to work 8 years ago, was totally lost. Three storey newly built ward slipped down the edge of the hill.

Helicopter landed in the stadium, the only space left to carry out massive humanitarian and rescue missions. After doing treatment of many injured and taking dinner of two biscuits, I spent first night an abandoned truck. Cold weather, limited shelters and rain made things worst.

But in few days, the whole scenario changed. The reps of more then fifty countries were there. It looked, as if Muzzafrabad was hosting an international event. We all were working regardless of knowing each others. Hand language was good enough to communicate for help. Turkish was the first to establish a Field Hospital. Free communication was established by French. Chinook helicopters of USA and UK created an air bridge between the stadium and the Base Hospital Rawalpindi. Their fighter marine crew was better handler of causalities than us.

I am proud of my resilient nation and salute the support of international community. Not a single located alive person went missing or died of hunger or cold. Those 15 days were the most adventurous and unforgettable of my life.