--- description: Aid workers say that victims of the 7.5-magnitude earthquake that shook South Asia on Monday are at risk of death from exposure to the cold title: South Asia Quake Victims at Risk of Death From Exposure image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt65158af0ed82cdc7/69886e7ce20a87e104a8dedc/494629514.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Afghanistan](/tag/afghanistan/) ## Afghanistan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Afghan and Pakistani Quake Victims Are at Risk of Death From Exposure, Say Aid Workers ## Video: Earthquake Shakes 3 Countries, Killing At Least 263 [Watch (HLS stream): Earthquake Shakes 3 Countries, Killing At Least 263](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/KvdMsrKQ.m3u8) (0:36)  _Published 2015-10-26. A magnitude-7.5 earthquake shook northeastern Afghanistan, Pakistan and India Monday._ by [Joanna Plucinska](/author/joanna-plucinska/) ## Joanna Plucinska Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 28, 2015 7:53 AM CUT  A young injured Pakistani earthquake survivor weeps at a hospital in quake-hit Shangla in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on October 28, 2015 A young injured Pakistani earthquake survivor weeps at a hospital in quake-hit Shangla in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on October 28, 2015Sajjad Qayyum—AFP/Getty Images by [Joanna Plucinska](/author/joanna-plucinska/) ## Joanna Plucinska Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 28, 2015 7:53 AM CUT Aid workers say that those affected by the [7.5-magnitude earthquake](http://time.com/4086773/earthquake-afghanistan-south-asia-natural-disaster/ "undefined") that shook much of South Asia on Monday are at risk of death from exposure as temperatures fall to near-freezing levels and rain and snow cover remote parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan, cutting off access and communications. “We are extremely concerned for the safety and well-being of children, who are already the most at risk in any disaster and are now in danger of succumbing to the elements as temperatures plummet,” Karin Hulshof, the regional director for UNICEF South Asia, said in a [statement](http://www.unicef.org/media/media%5F85935.html "undefined"). Tents and blankets are desperately needed to ensure that many of those left homeless by the earthquake don’t perish as a result of the cold, UNICEF says. In certain regions of Pakistan, [officials](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-28/desperate-afghan-pakistan-earthquake-victims-appeal-for-aid/6890826 "undefined") have also complained of a lack of clean drinking water. The death toll has climbed to 385 since Monday, and casualty figures will likely increase once rescuers and aid workers access areas that can be reached only by foot or donkey, reports [AP](http://news.yahoo.com/death-toll-reaches-311-quake-hit-pakistani-afghan-054716481.html "undefined"). Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority has yet to reach many of the most badly hit areas in the country, according to the [BBC](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34644125 "undefined"). The International Rescue Committee [said](http://www.rescue.org/blog/irc-aid-workers-afghanistan-and-pakistan-respond-deadly-earthquake "undefined") it is particularly worried about getting to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan and Federally Administrated Tribal Areas in the northwest of the country. Even the [Afghan Taliban](http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-28/desperate-afghan-pakistan-earthquake-victims-appeal-for-aid/6890826 "undefined"), who some complain is obstructing relief work, has called for aid agencies to make a concerted push to reach victims. \[[_BBC_](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34654686 "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4090234/afghanistan-pakistan-earthquake-victims-risk/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4090234/afghanistan-pakistan-earthquake-victims-risk/"},"headline":"Afghan and Pakistani Quake Victims Are at Risk of Death From Exposure, Say Aid Workers","datePublished":"2015-10-28T07:53:26.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T12:08:02.776Z","description":"Tents and blankets are desperately needed as the death toll rises to 385","url":"https://time.com/4090234/afghanistan-pakistan-earthquake-victims-risk/","keywords":["Afghanistan","Pakistan","Earthquake","victims"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt65158af0ed82cdc7/69886e7ce20a87e104a8dedc/494629514.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Joanna Plucinska","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/joanna-plucinska/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt65158af0ed82cdc7/69886e7ce20a87e104a8dedc/494629514.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN-INDIA-QUAKE","caption":"PAKISTAN-AFGHANISTAN-INDIA-QUAKE","creditText":"Sajjad Qayyum—AFP/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/afghanistan/","name":"Afghanistan"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4090234/afghanistan-pakistan-earthquake-victims-risk/","name":"Afghan and Pakistani Quake Victims Are at Risk of Death From Exposure, Say Aid Workers"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Earthquake Shakes 3 Countries, Killing At Least 263","description":"A magnitude-7.5 earthquake shook northeastern Afghanistan, Pakistan and India Monday.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/KvdMsrKQ/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-10-26T15:18:23.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/KvdMsrKQ.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4090234/afghanistan-pakistan-earthquake-victims-risk/","duration":"PT36S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4090234/afghanistan-pakistan-earthquake-victims-risk/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```