THE EARTHQUAKE NEWS continues to get worse and worse. Pakistan got hit the hardest; in Kashmir alone 30,000 deaths have been confirmed so far. Several media sources are reporting that children have been heard crying underneath homes and schools that were flattened by the quake, and villagers desperate to find loved ones are digging through the rubble with their bare hands.

On the Indian side of Kashmir, at least 600 died. The earthquake, 7.7 on the Richter scale, is the worst natural disaster in living memory.

India has offered to help with the rescue and relief effort in Pakistan. BBC News has a piece on the bittersweet irony of two nations who have been the bitterest of enemies for over half a century uniting to help each other at a time of overwhelming tragedy for both.

Joe Gandelman links to eyewitness reports from bloggers living in or near the areas hit. He also references many, many blogs closer to home that are posting on the earthquake.

Confederate Yankee, despite the mean-spirited quote about liberals, must be thanked and commended for expressing compassion for the victims in South Asia (unlike Balloon Juice); and even more to the point, for posting links to firsthand accounts of the devastation and to places people who want to help can go to get information about how to do so. Right now I don't care about my policy of not linking to wingnuts as much as I care about linking to sources of help for these horribly suffering human beings on the other side of the world from me.

I will post more about this as I learn more that might be useful.