How are people getting along six months after the disaster?
Six months after the earthquake and tsunami, the situation is still one of devastation and people still need a lot of help. In the south there are still many aftershocks, some mild, some stronger. Even though people have returned to normality, they live with the fear of another earthquake. In the north, people are feeling more and more afraid when there is an aftershock as experts have predicted a big earthquake there. Caritas is very concerned about the effect of the winter on the people made homeless by the earthquake. Around 40,000 temporary houses have been built. It’s cold, there’s rain, wind and snow, and for thousands of families living in such conditions and relying on aid, they have to put up with leaks and collapsing roofs and difficult living conditions. People living in camps face inadequate hygiene conditions. Also, damage to hospitals means that people don’t always get the treatment they need if they do fall ill. There’s frustration that no reconstruction plan with the pa
