November 26, 2002	Tuesday	Ramazan 20, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 25: Up to 15,000 people were sleeping in the open in bitterly cold conditions in the Northern Areas as aftershocks spread fear following the earthquake that killed 23 people last week.

Government officials said on Monday that thousands of people were refusing to sleep indoors, fearing their fragile houses would collapse. More than 100 aftershocks have rocked the region since last Thursday’s tremor.

“We are still in the grip of earthquakes, “Northern Areas Home Secretary Shahrukh Arbab told Reuters from Gilgit.

“It is bitterly cold at night and people whose houses are destroyed or even those whose houses have cracks say they would rather sleep outside,” he said and added that food shortages loomed.

Shafiqur Rehman, an aid worker with the Islamic Relief, United Kingdom, who visited the affected area, said people were terrified following a series of tremors accompanied by falling rocks and clouds of dust.

“We were sitting on the ground and it felt like someone was punching us from beneath,” he told reporters. “Women and children are particularly scared.”

Mr Arbab said there were no reports of any more deaths from the first quake but people were living in terrible conditions requiring urgent help.

“So we need more tents but roads are closed,” he said.

The authorities had provided 700 tents as well as blankets and warm clothes but 2,000 more tents were needed, Mr Arbab said.

An official at the seismic centre in Peshawar said more than 100 aftershocks had been recorded, though the activity appeared to be slowing down.

The Karakoram Highway has been closed due to massive landslides caused by jolts.

Army aviation helicopters with rescue teams continued relief operation on Monday, a spokesman for the Inter-Services Public Relations said and added that relief goods provided by the government and non-governmental organizations were being delivered to the affected people.

Army doctors and paramedics were accompanying the helicopters to provide immediate medical treatment to the people.

On Sunday, 160 tents and 1,000 blankets were distributed among the affected people in Duskin Valley.

Army engineers continued repair work on Astore road, which has been badly damaged.

Northern Areas Force Commander Maj-Gen Nadeem Ahmed said the road would be opened for light traffic in a couple of weeks. He said all efforts were being made to restore the road communication but aftershocks were hampering the relief operation.

Over 2,000 people from worst hit areas had been shifted to the relief camps and provided tents, blankets and necessary medical aid, he said.—Reuters / APP