South Asia Earthquake: One Year on
Musadiq Iqbal is one of the lucky ones - he will soon be moving to his new earthquake-resistant house after his old one collapsed in the 8 October, 2005 quake. Only a few are in his position in Katahi, some 50km (25 miles) south-east of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. In most cases, compensation has not been paid or does not meet the costs of the compulsory new quake-resistant design. Thousands in this mountainous region will have to brave a second chilly winter in temporary shelters.
Under the World Bank-funded government compensation scheme, each home owner is to receive 150,000 rupees (nearly $2,500) in three instalments to reconstruct his or her house. Those whose houses were partially damaged get 50,000 rupees for repairs. Musadiq Iqbal has used savings as well as his compensation and reckons the final rebuild cost will be 400,000 rupees. Workers are busy giving the house its final touches and he is hoping to move in just before winter.[...]
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