亚洲—巴基斯坦地震救灾援助步伐加快（在线收听）

Pace of Massive Relief Effort in Pakistan Speeds Up

巴基斯坦地震救灾援助步伐加快

Another powerful aftershock rattled northern Pakistan early Thursday , sending thousands of terrified residents of Islamabad back out onto the streets.

No damage was reported, but rescue workers say the tremor may have increased the odds of fresh landslides in the quake-affected mountainous areas northeast of the capital.

Relief efforts continued around the clock, as more and more aid began reaching the hardest-hit areas in Kashmir and the Northwest Frontier Province.

Several key roads leading to Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, have been cleared of debris, and trucks carrying relief supplies are finally pour into the beleaguered city.

But aid workers say logistical challenges remain, and delivering urgently needed supplies such as food and shelter is still taking longer than they would like.

Dorothy Blaine, the country director for the Irish aid agency Concern Worldwide, says one of the main obstacles now is traffic.

Dorothy Blaine: There are hundreds and thousands of vehicles on the road, not just aid, not just trucks, there are journalists driving up there, relatives driving up, and it is very, very slow.

Throughout the day helicopters ferried supplies to the remote mountain areas and evacuated the wounded.

The official death toll from Saturday's 7.6 magnitude earthquake was raised to 24,000, but rescue workers say that number could easily double in the next few days. Pakistani officials say billions of dollars may be needed to help the victims.

During a televised address to the nation late Wednesday night, President Pervez Musharraf said he was establishing a special trust for donations, and asked for international support.

Pervez Musharraf: I appeal to the international community to donate funds, to give financial assistance and donate to the president's relief fund.

Foreign governments continue to increase their initial contributions. The United States has already provided $50 million and says more is on the way.

The United Nations has issued an appeal for $272 million, saying more than four million people in Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan were affected by the earthquake.

Benjamin Sand, VOA news, Islamabad.

注释：

aftershock [5B:ftEFCk] n. 余震

rattle [5rAtl] v. 使慌乱，使紊乱

Islamabad [is5lB:mEbB:d] n. 伊斯兰堡（巴基斯坦首都）

tremor [5tremE] n. 地震

odds [Rdz] n. 可能性

landslide [5lAndslaid] n. 山崩；塌方

mountainous [5mauntinEs] adj. 多山的

debris [5debri:] n. 碎片，废墟

beleaguered [bi5li:^Ed] adj. 围困的

ferry [5feri] vt. 运送

remote [ri5mEut] adj. 偏僻的，边远的

donate [dEu5neit] v. 捐赠，赠予