Shattered Afhgan infrastructure spells disaster for quake victims

ROSTAQ, Afghanistan, Feb 15 (AFP) - Nearly two weeks after a devastating earthquake struck northern Afhanistan, killing up to 4,500 people, a destroyed infrastructure has left thousands of homeless with little emergency help.

While aid agencies battle against freezing fog, snow and roads reduced to rivers of mud, the added impact of 20 years of civil war is clearly visible in the fatal delay in aid reaching the victimns.

"From the first day the news of the quake reached us, the funding for a huge relief operation was available," said Sandrine Chopin from the European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO).

But despite having more than two million dollars of ECHO funds available and access to an already sizeable logistics base, even the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was stuck in the mud.

"The aid workers here have done everything in their capacity to reach the suffering, but they have had to battle both a collapsed infrastructure and nature," Chopin said.

Before the Red Army of the former Sovietr Union pulled out of Afhanistan nine years ago, Rostaq had electricity, telephones, a network of paved reads connecting it to Takhar's provincial capital, and a petrol station.

The collapse of Afghanistan's infrastructure since the mujahedeen takeover of the country in 1992 also hit Rostaq and with no local services provided by self-appointed local commanders, victims expect little help.

Aid workers visting cramped and icy centers for the homeless inside Rostaq are still seeing injuries untreated after nearly two weeks, even though the Belgium group Medecins Sans Frontiers have a hospital here.

"I didn't think there was any help in Rostaq because there was nothing here before," was the explanation of Haji Faid of quake-hit Sari-Ghar village, whose daughter had been badly burned as result of the earthquak.

In mud huts converted to offices for international aid agencies, the small number of expatriate staff who managed to reach the area have been considering every option to get aid in.

"The trouble is that we decide on one option and it then becomes impossible," said a frustrated Red Cross worker who drove for two days and crossed two frontlines to reach the quake zone only 150 kilometers (90 miles) from his base.

Rostaq's nearest airport, 12 hours away by road, was closed Sunday due to thick mud as snow melted under the first blue skies since the quake, that despite days of negotiating with warring factions for safe passage for a supply aircraft through thousands of anti-aircraft guns.

Aid workers were hoping that by Wednesday an air drop may be possible, while local authorities loyal to the ousted Kabul government were bringing into action aged Soviet-built helicopters to locate more villages.

The real cost of the quake on Rostaq's surrounding villages is also unclear. With no road access, only eight of 27 villages believed hit have reached by relief teams.

The death toll, estimated at between 4,000 and 4,500, was expected to rise as weakened survivors succumb to exposure. The quake struck villagers appear resigned to their predicament.

"This is normal for us," explained Mohammad Hashim when how he felt about losing his house and three members of his family.

"In Afghanistan we are used to it, but it would have been better if it was summer."