Quake survivors descend as weather closes in

With winter in northern Pakistan's earthquake zone imminent, aid workers are increasingly concerned that hundreds of thousands of survivors currently living at high altitude may soon descend seeking assistance, swamping relief camps at lower levels. "An estimated 200,000 people may descend from the hills around Neelum and Allai valleys, according to aid agencies, but so far there are not sufficient arrangements if this many people decide to migrate," Darren Boisvert, a communications officer for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Friday. IOM believes that the only way to reduce the anticipated exodus would be to intensify expensive helicopter airdrops of food, medicine and shelter and to step-up the pre-positioning of food before regular access diminishes due to bad weather. Priority areas above the snowline include the Neelum and Jehlum valleys in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, along with the Allai and Kaghan valleys in North West Frontier Province (NWFP), according to the UN. As part of 'Operation Winter Race' - focusing on providing shelter repair kits to earthquake survivors living above 1,500 m, a total of 865 shelter kits have been delivered in parts of Muzaffarabad and Batagram districts, with another 800 ready for distribution, according to IOM. The agency plans to help at least 10,000 families by the end of November - when the window of opportunity to bring assistance will rapidly close. Families from the hills are already reported to be gathering in Muzaffarabad, capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir where in some of the emergency tented camps, around 50 new groups are arriving daily. The Pakistani government estimates more than 80,000 people were killed and more than 100,000 were injured when the 7.6 magnitude quake ripped through NWFP and parts of Kashmir on 8 October. The UN said on Friday hundreds of thousands of tents have been distributed, food has been delivered to 775,000 beneficiaries, 12 field hospitals are operational, 76 mobile health teams are operating. In addition, 300 school in a box kits and 57 tents have been provided for schools in the quake zone. According to the UN, with winter snows approaching, primary areas of concern are conditions in both planned and spontaneous camps, sanitation and health, and assisting people in remote areas. There are currently 18 organised camps and more than 1,000 informal settlements housing quake survivors.