Spring blossoms and tremors. . .
Helen called from Chikar this morning, a few hours ahead of our scheduled time, about 3:30 AM Kashmir time. She was on the flat roof of the Centre in the chill pre-dawn air, the moon and stars brilliant above the glowing mountains. She had awakened early and since she was up thought she might as well call while things were relatively quiet. I did hear a horn from a passing vehicle of some sort and then some dogs barking in the background, so even that early in the morning, Chikar has some activity going on.
Yesterday morning, there was a bit of an aftershock/tremor which gave the residents a bit of a worry. One can only imagine how even a small
shaking would create feelings of insecurity in an area previously hit so hard. Also, recent heavy rains create the potential danger of landslides, adding to the level of anxiety.In the next day or so, Helen and Judy will accompany a group of officials on a tour of the local Chikar area to help assess the current situation. Next week, they will make an 11 day trip to visit 3 remote area clinics, staying a few days in each spot. Traveling on the mountain roads can be difficult due to landslides cutting the roads and while th
ey are away from the CDRS Centre in Chikar communication will be restricted.They have been making some home visits and feel very much welcomed and appreciated by the community. Todd has posted some great photos on a photo site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/cdrschikar but here are a few to see.
