3 million homeless

last updated 8 January 2015

Kashmir

Nearly 3 million people who lost their homes in the Oct. 8 earthquake still have no shelter as winter approaches, international aid groups said this week. The U.S. and Canada have donated hundreds of winterized tents and NATO has begun an airlift of 15,000 tents, but the International Organization for Migration said at least 200,000 more are needed. “Thousands of people could die unless all of the world’s winter tents are made available,” said Oxfam official Nick Roseveare, noting that most armies keep tents stockpiled in the event of war. So far, foreign governments have pledged $620 million for reconstruction; Pakistan says the bill for housing alone will come to at least $5 billion.