World offers sympathy over quake

World offers sympathy over quake

Agence France-Presse, Brussels

World leaders expressed shock and sadness over the quake that devastated parts of South Asia as the true scope of the disaster unfolded with more than 19,000 deaths being reported on Sunday.

U.S. President George W. Bush said help was on the way to victims of what he called a "horrible tragedy", as other global giants, including China and Russia voiced their solidarity with the countries battling to cope with the crisis.

"The people of the United States offer our deepest sympathies for the loss of life and destruction caused by the earthquake," Bush said in a statement issued late on Saturday by the White House.

"My thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this horrible tragedy," the U.S. leader said.

Countries elsewhere were responding swiftly to the massive earthquake which hit Pakistan, India and Afghanistan on Saturday morning, amid fears that the death toll would continue to spiral.

At least 19,700 people have been confirmed dead in the huge quake, centered in northern Pakistan and measuring at least 7.6 on the Richter scale, with both India and Pakistan on Sunday drastically increasing their death tolls in Kashmir, which is divided between the two.

"We... are fearful that the casualty figures may mount," said EU aid commissioner Louis Michel as the bloc's member states scrambled to offer assistance.

UN chief Kofi Annan said he was "deeply saddened by the loss of life and destruction" caused by the earthquake as a UN team left Geneva for Islamabad, while German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder sent letters of condolence to Pakistani and Indian leaders.

"The information (we have received) and the images we have of the earthquake that has struck your country fill us with sadness. Our thoughts go to the victims and their loved ones," he wrote to Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

Musharraf made an urgent appeal on Sunday for money and helicopters to get aid to the worst affected zones.

"We do seek international assistance," he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press of Pakistan.

The global outpouring of sympathy has been matched by aid pledges, with European Union first to respond by earmarking up to 3 million euros (US$3.6 million) for the rescue effort.

In Britain, which has a sizeable Pakistani community, Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said in a statement the government was prepared to respond to "all demands" for help from Pakistan, and expressed "sadness" at the disaster.

Several British search and rescue teams were expected to be sent, while China also deployed a team of seismologists and medics, along with search dog and 17 tons of equipment.

Chinese President Hu Jintao had earlier sent his condolences to both India and Pakistan, expressing grief over the deaths, state media reported.

In Berlin, Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said Germany had immediately released 50,000 euros to be made available to Pakistani authorities through Berlin's embassy in Islamabad.

The French government said it was sending a 25-member emergency rescue team, along with sniffer dogs and cutting material.

"France is standing by Pakistan in this painful trial," said President Jacques Chirac in a message of support to his Pakistani counterpart.

In Asia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines all offered their sympathies as well as funds and medical materials.

Turkey, a frequent victim of deadly earthquakes, also offered aid to fellow Muslim country Pakistan, Anatolia news agency reported, quoting Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul.

"We are ready to provide every sort of help," Gul said, as Turkey's neighbor Greece, which also suffers almost daily tremors, pledged to send a team of specialists including search and rescue experts.