M. A. Math Responds to Kashmir Earthquake

October 2005
Amritapuri, India

The Kashmir or Northern Pakistan earthquake that struck on October 8, 2005 caused major seismological disturbance at a magnitude of 7.6 on the Richter scale taking over 50,000 lives in Pakistan and India. This disaster was similar in intensity to the 2001 Gujarat earthquake.

Since October 17th, under Amma's guidance, Bri. Rasamrita Chaitanya from M. A. Math along with volunteers from its Delhi affiliate center have been in the Uri area of Jammu and Kashmir, 70 miles from Srinagar near the border of India and Pakistan, visiting victims of the earthquake, consoling them and distributing food and other relief materials to those in need.

Many children in the region have been traumatized. Bri. Rasamrita and the volunteers organized games, painting contests, and other cultural programs to help keep the children active and to focus their minds away from their recent traumatic experience.

On October 20, hundreds of blankets were sent from M. A. Math's headquarters in Amritapuri to the remote cold areas of Northern Kashmir and Pakistan. The blankets were transported to Kochi from where they were flown to Delhi (India's capital city) and then to Kashmir for distribution to the victims of the earthquake. With the cold season fast approaching, the blankets will provide warmth and comfort for those who have lost their homes and possessions.

Br. Abhayamrita Chaitanya (M. A. Math's main co-ordinator of the Ashram's tsunami relief efforts in Tamil Nadu & Chief Operating Officer of Amrita Viswa Vidhya Peetham) visited four villages in the region (Sultan Daki, Basgram, Dachi & Lagama), and had the first round of talks met with government officials, to determine how M. A. Math can provide further assistance. Upon hearing about Amma's mission, the people and the officials were extremely receptive and wanted to learn more about Amma.

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