International disaster relief charity ShelterBox is responding to a request for assistance after an earthquake hit Pakistan on Wednesday.
A ShelterBox Response Team departed for Pakistan yesterday to distribute an initial 200 ShelterBoxes. More boxes are likely to follow.
The 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the Ziarat valley in the southwestern province of Baluchistan just before dawn, causing landslides and reportedly killing more than 200 people. It is thought that around 1,500 homes were destroyed and 15,000 people have been displaced.
It has been reported that around 50,000 people are sleeping outside in freezing temperatures. With aftershocks of up to 6.2 on the Richter scale, sleeping indoors is not believed to be safe.
ShelterBox will provide ten-man tents, blankets, stoves, water purification, tools and children's packs.
The request for assistance came from Rotary International in Pakistan. Local Rotary representatives will travel with the ShelterBox Response Team to the affected area to assist the team.
The disaster comes three years after ShelterBox responded to the 7.3 magnitude earthquake in Pakistan, for which the charity provided more than 8,000 ShelterBoxes. ShelterBox also responded to severe flooding in the province of Baluchistan last year.
For more information on ShelterBox, please call (01326) 569 782 or visit www.shelterbox.org