Since Saturday’s 7.8 magnitude earthquake there have been 550+ aftershocks, including a 6.2 magnitude aftershock on Wednesday. Humanitarian aid has been pouring in, but distribution is slow. People wait for hours under tropical heat for water and food supplies, and looting is reported in some shops. The death toll is 500+ and could increase by hundreds. 4,000+ were injured. The number of missing could rise to 2,000. Thousands are homeless and vulnerable. Please pray for the organisations and charities who are sending supplies and preparing airlifts; for the sniffer dogs and mechanical diggers searching for survivors where the smell of rotting bodies fills the air; for those waiting for news of missing loved ones; for harmony between foreign nationals arriving at a scene of chaos where unity in direction and good communication is needed; for the survivors in damaged communities, with poor sanitation and broken infrastructure hampering relief efforts. Pray for the estimated 150,000 children affected by the disaster. See also: