A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck South Asia on Saturday, October 8, causing massive destruction in Pakistan, India, and the portions of the disputed Kashmir region controlled by both countries. The quake killed tens of thousands of people and left as many as 3 million homeless. In the days after the quake, rescue and relief efforts were slowed by severe storms and roads blocked by rubble.
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Balakot, in northern Pakistan near Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, was one of the areas hardest hit by the quake. Relief was slow to arrive at the one-time tourist destination, home to 250,000 people. 
Muzaffarabad, the capital of the Pakistani-held portion of Kashmir, was the closest city to the quake's epicenter. A Pakistani army hospital was damaged in the quake, and mass burials were reported two days later. Trucks with food and blankets began arriving in the city Tuesday.
While Pakistan and the Pakistani-controlled areas of Kashmir took most of the casualties, Indian-controlled areas were not spared. Uri, just on the Indian side of the line of control, suffered extensive damage. 
In the aftermath of the quake, India and Pakistan set aside their decades-long rivalry. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh contacted Pakistan's representative in New Delhi to offer aid, and Pakistan accepted. India announced that it was loading a plane with 25 tons of relief supplies for delivery within days. 
The Pakistani capital, 55 miles from the epicenter, was spared the worst of the damage. But an apartment building collapsed, trapping scores of people. Rescuers continued to find both survivors and bodies days later.