Indian Quake victims and aid convoys suffer from looters

8 days after a catastrophic earthquake, the government of India’s Gujarat state seems to be unable to rise equal to the situation. Deep in the quake zone, particularly in far-flung villages, many of those sleeping out in temperatures that drop below 10 degrees Celsius at night were still waiting for electricity, water and shelter. Several hundred thousand survivors camped out in bitter cold for the eighth night on Friday as aid officials warned many that face months outdoors. Stalked by disease spread by contaminated water, the survivors complained that relief was still not arriving fast enough. The Indian government defended its actions in helping victims of the quake, estimated to have killed at least 30,000 people, as the main opposition Congress Party broke a week-long silence to criticise it for "tardy" relief work, Reuters reports. According to RIA Novosti, gangs of armed marauders commit outrages in the area robbing people, seizing humanitarian aid and looting destroyed stores.