Your e-mails: After the quake

Thursday, October 13, 2005; Posted: 6:41 a.m. EDT (10:41 GMT)

Mansoor Shah sent in this photograph of the Margala Towers in Islamabad, Pakistan.

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YOUR E-MAIL ALERTS

(CNN) -- CNN is appealing for stories from people who witnessed or have been affected by the earthquake in South Asia. The following are edited selections of your replies.

I live in London and have not been directly affected by the tragedy in Kashmir, but have family and friends in Pakistan (Lahore and Islamabad). While I am fortunate to have not lost a family member, my heart grieves for those who are dead. In every dead child's face, I see the faces of my own children -- images I will never forget. This tragedy is indeed a cruel reminder that nature is creative and destructive. The beauty of the Pir Panjal mountains and the Hindu Kush region comes at a devastatingly high price. In this holy month of Ramadan, may all those affected find the strength and hope to rebuild their lives, especially the surviving children who are the last remaining legacy of the younger generation of that region. Nausheen Anwar, London, United Kingdom

It was quarter to nine in the morning. I was sleeping on my bed on the first floor of my house. Suddenly my bed started shaking badly, to and fro. Oh my God, that was so ferocious. I jumped out of bed with my little sister. All my family members were already out of the home at that time. Thanks to Allah we all were safe. Salman Shehbaz, Lahore, Pakistan

I called my mother who is visiting her brother and family in Haripur. She said it felt like it was the end of times. All they could hear were pipes and walls shaking, earth moving so fast that it was hard to even standup. Cries and loud prayers followed. It is really cold, bone chilling cold, in North-West Frontier Province right now. We still don't know how many loved ones we have lost. Everybody is in shock but through it all, as usual, neighbors are helping neighbors -- and everybody is neighbor even if they don't live in the same city. We from North-West Frontier Province don't have much but whatever we have is there to help others. This is the way of North-West Frontier Province, the people with no pockets but big hearts. Samia Saeed, Los Angeles, California

I was driving my car in Lahore, Pakistan, when the earthquake struck on Saturday. At first I thought my car had broken down but then as I saw many other cars shaking I understood that an earthquake had occurred. I saw a stop sign fall to the ground and saw many cars on the side of the road. There was confusion among the people as no one had ever witnessed such a big disaster in Pakistan. People were running away from their homes and cars. When I got back home I switched on the TV. I saw the devastating pictures of rubble and dead bodies and I felt like crying. Nabeel, Lahore, Pakistan

I was sleeping and the earthquake woke me up. It was the most horrible scene because everything was shaking. I am a medical student and many of my friends are from Azad Kashmir. They went last week to meet their families and there is no news of them. I'm worried. I request everyone in Pakistan and around the world to please help these people. I thank all the countries who are helping Pakistan. Kiran Zafar, Lahore, Pakistan

Cynics say that the only time Pakistanis are patriotic is when they are on a cricket ground. They should come to Lahore, Karachi and the rest of Pakistan to see for themselves. The response of the common man has been overwhelming. We are united in this from the peaks of Hindu Kush to the shores of Sindh. And, by the will of God, we will succeed and rise from this disaster. Rao Qasim, Lahore, Pakistan

On October 8, Pakistan witnessed the worst disaster in history. As I am just 15 kilometers from Islamabad, I felt the quake badly, saw people rushing out of their homes hurriedly. It was a terrible experience. But after the quake when the relief efforts started, the way people contributed all over the country, it is unprecedented, People donated whatever they had irrespective of their class. There was so much donated that now we are facing the shortage of transportation. It really speaks that we are "one," I am proud to be a Pakistani. Aley, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

When the earthquake took place I was asleep. I jumped out of bed and screamed for my family to run outside. Once everything had calmed down I got a phone call telling me that the Margalla Towers had collapsed. Having friends who lived in the building, I drove there at once. I had to park quite far away so I got out and ran. Then I saw it: The rubble that was my friends home. I immediately rushed and began digging. On that day I pulled out five people alive and seven who were dead. On the second day I was not allowed to help as the British rescuers had arrived. It seemed they were working in slow motion. They were taking too long. I left because I could not take the slow speed at which the work was progressing. Now it is five days later and my friends still have not been found. Irene Fernandez, Islamabad, Pakistan

I was sleeping on the first floor when I realized my bed was shaking along with the window panes. I jumped out of my bed and ran downstairs while observing that the whole house was vibrating. In my neighborhood one wall of a three storied house fell on the roof of a single storied house collapsing the roof. Since nobody was inside, some precious lives were saved. Shoaib Mushtaq, Shah Srinagar, Kashmir

Our brothers, our sisters and our children are dead. We are living in a grim reality. An entire people of whom we were so proud and who stood strong despite political dispute in their region have now been broken by natural disaster. Sumaira Moiz Farooq, Lahore, Pakistan

I saw that Margala tower collapsed in Islamabad and unfortunately my friend Abbas was trapped in it. It has been 84 hours but we didn't hear anything from him. Abbas's family is sitting outside the collapsed tower for the last 84 hours hoping that he will come out alive. I have never seen such a tragedy hitting Pakistan in my life. Mamoon Hashim, Islamabad, Pakistan

It was the most harrowing experience of my life though I live far from the seriously hit cities but the magnitude of the earthquake even here was frightening. I would never have been able to imagine that the Earth could shake so violently. I believe it was with the aid of God that our home stayed as it is though we all rushed out completely frightened. Furthermore through this medium I want to express my appreciation to the Pak Army. They did what they could do best and did it to the maximum of their abilities. Ismat Parveen, Chakwal, Pakistan

Some of my family members are trapped in the village Kahori in the quake-hit city of Muzaffarabad in Azad Kashmir. Some of them, especially children, are injured. No rescue team has so far reached Kahore which is just 10 kilometers away from the city. People are dying there due to the shortage of food, and water. Aftab Kazmi, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

My relatives are living in Rawalpindi. Thank God all of them are fine but still shocked. Every time I watch the news of Kashmir I start weeping and just think how I can help those people. I request to all Pakistani people living abroad to please help our homeland in this difficult time. And especially in the holy month of Ramadan, remember all the victims in your prayers. Yasmina Abad, Gernaby, Germany

In addition to the international relief assistance, the people of Pakistan have risen to the enormous task by giving generous donations in their individual capacity for their brothers and sisters in need. Faisal Tirmizi

I was sleeping and woke to hear my mom crying out, "COME OUT COME OUT!" A soon as I woke up I understood what was going on. I saw things falling down from walls, crystal and cups breaking, and outside I saw trees shaking as if their leaves were being carried by a strong wind. There was dust, cries and fear everywhere. Everyone started praying saying it is Judgment Day. We were shocked and speechless. Sonya, Abbottabad, Pakistan

We appreciate and extend our thanks to the international community for their efforts to support us in this time of devastation. We still need more life saving and rescue support to cope with current situation. We hope to get the similar encouragement and cooperation from the International community for the incoming task of rehabilitation of the destroyed areas. Mr Farooq, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

I have been talking to people in Pakistan over the past few days, and I must say I have never been more proud of my country. The people of Pakistan have united in response to this tragedy. From what I have heard, people are being very generous with their donations, their time and the overall support. Pakistani Americans in the U.S. have also mobilized in large numbers and are coming together to help the victims. O.M., New York, U.S.

When the earthquake struck, I was asleep on the second storey of our house. I thought it would soon pass, so I ignored it. I heard my sister getting up and she told me to get up too. We both stood underneath the nearest door frame. I had my back against it and could feel the vibrations continuously. We stood for about a minute and a half. We could still feel small tremors; it didn't completely vanish. When it did, we went downstairs, and the local TV channels were flashing the story. Shaheer Khan, Rawalpindi, Pakistan