SLOVAK rescuers are ready to provide assistance to Pakistan, which was hit by an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 on October 8, the TASR news agency reported.
The head of the rescue service in Gabčíkovo, Ján Culka, said they are only waiting for the cabinet's decision that will clarify whether their mission will be an official Slovak one or an independent one.
If the latter were the case they would have to gather sponsors, which would delay their departure. In this case only a disinfecting team would leave. If they could leave on October 10, however, rescuers trained in searching for survivors in rubble would join the Slovak rescue team. According to Culka, rescuers from Gabčíkovo are ready to leave for Pakistan immediately.
Pakistani officials said the death toll ranged between nearly 20,000 and 30,000. President Pervez Musharraf appealed to the international community for medicine, tents, cargo helicopters and financial assistance.
Compiled by Marta Ďurianová from press reports
The
Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information
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