Experts have long been warning of the danger of serious earthquakes in South Asia - and say more are likely. Many have struck along the southern flanks of the Himalayas over past centuries - but not enough to account for all the steady, northward movement of India into Asia.

The earthquake in Pakistan is the result of India's long-term, gradual, geological movement north into Asia at a speed of five centimetres a year - a millimetre per week. Earthquakes happen when energy stored up along geological faults, like the Himalayan thrust, is suddenly released. The trouble is, the more time passes without seismic release, the more energy accumulates, making a giant earthquake more likely. The latest earthquake fits in with the scientists' expectations but, at 7.6 on the Richter scale, is relatively weak compared to what they feared.

Overview: Quake aftermath Officials say the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that struck close to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir on 8 October 2005 caused nearly 75,000 deaths and devastation that may take a decade to repair. Pakistan has confirmed more than 73,000 deaths, most of them in Pakistani-administered Kashmir. India says nearly 1,400 have died in the sector it administers. Tens of thousands were injured and up to three million left homeless. The World Food Programme says some 500,000 people in remote areas have received no aid at all. One of the biggest problems is meeting the demand for tents that can provide shelter as the cold weather worsens. Fears are mounting of a second wave of deaths from untreated injuries and exposure.

Impact: Pakistan-administered Kashmir was the region hardest hit, with much of the capital, Muzaffarabad, destroyed. The head of United Nations relief operations, Jan Egeland, said he had never seen such devastation. The town of Bagh was badly affected and the impact in some remote villages remains unknown. Nearby Rawalakot suffered some damage, although most schools and colleges there were closed for a public holiday and casualties were not so high. Landslides blocked roads and there was extensive damage to electricity, water and telephone infrastructure and all the city's hospitals.

Toll: The death toll in Pakistan-administered Kashmir alone may exceed 40,000, with some 70,000 injured, regional prime minister, Sikander Hayat Khan, said shortly after the quake. Federal figures now suggest that may have been an underestimate.

Aid: Muzaffarabad is the hub of the aid operation in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Substantial amounts of aid have now arrived although it took several days to clear key routes on the mountainous roads. Helicopters are operating out of the city but have been grounded by bad weather for hours at a time. Many of the city's 600,000 residents have had to sleep outside in the cold. A sports stadium is being used to house the homeless, care for survivors and distribute food and water. There have been numerous reports of looting. Medecins Sans Frontiers are warning of a potential water-borne disease epidemic.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/pop_ups/05/south_asia_pakistan_and_india_earthquake/html/1.stm In pictures: Battling time In pictures: Aid arrives Rescue task pictures Muzaffarabad photos Quake aftermath

Hundreds of earthquake survivors living in camps in Pakistani-administered Kashmir have acute diarrhoea, World Health Organization officials say. Doctors are investigating whether the outbreak has been caused by cholera.

They have their own parades, rigorous training and dedicated doctors They have their own parades, rigorous training and dedicated doctors. They are treated as fully fledged soldiers. Some villagers used to laugh at how much time the army spent on them. But now the mules of the Pakistani army are proving saviours for some of the tens of thousands of quake survivors still stuck atop inaccessible mountains. Nine days after the killer quake struck Kashmir and parts of northern Pakistan, the army mobilised its animal transport units (ATUs), or what's left of them, to reach inaccessible areas - sometimes without any human assistance. These units of specially trained mules have been a critical link in the logistics serving the Pakistan army Map of earthquake zone

Heavy rain and snowfall are badly hampering relief efforts in Kashmir, where three million people were left homeless by an earthquake in October. Roads have been closed and helicopters grounded by bad weather and landslides. Survivors' tents have been flooded.