Health workers burned the bodies of victims of India's devastating earthquake in an effort to stave off threatened epidemics, while tens of thousands struggled to stay alive a week after the quake struck.
Although no cases of typhoid or cholera have been reported, doctors and officials said there was a real risk of widespread disease in the western Gujarat state ravaged by the earthquake last Friday.
"If they don't get clean water, if they're living out in the open, it's inevitable you're going to see an upsurge in diarrhoeal disease and respiratory problems," Red Cross official Mr Patrick Fuller said.
Hope has been all but abandoned for finding more survivors - the last were dug out of the rubble yesterday. Some survivors implored rescue workers to enter crumbled buildings to find family members.
Meanwhile the European Commission is to donate a further 10 million euros for the victims of India's earthquake, bringing to 13 million euros the total aid it has approved so far.
The Commission said EU could give further aid in due course.
EU officials said the new aid would be sent towards rural areas hit hard by last week's quake. They dismissed fears that the money was not reaching its intended targets and said they were monitoring the situation very closely.
Gujarat state Chief Minister, Mr Keshubhai Patel, said today about 30,000 people were believed to have died in the quake measuring a massive 7.9 on the Richter scale.
Indian Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, fending off criticism of his government's handling of the disaster and its aftermath, said aid was getting through.
Gujarat officials say the disaster will cost the state around 100 billion rupees (2.16 billion).
Reuters