October 23, 2005	Sunday	Ramzan 18, 1426

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PESHAWAR, Oct 22: More tent villages have been set up in quake-hit districts of the NWFP as victims continue to arrive in towns from their devastated hamlets in mountains. Around 10,000 survivors have been accommodated in 29 tent villages in the worst-hit Balakot, Garhi Habibullah, Shinkiari and Batgram sectors. They have been provided with meal and medicines, says an ISPR press release issued on Saturday.

Tent villages have been established in the areas of Kashtra, Jabori, Kalasracha, Taran, Neelbut, Kerri, Bela, Dheg, Johcha, Dadar, Kund, Sacha Kalan, Munda Ghucha, Nawazabad, Jabar, Deoli, Batgram, Shamlai, Balakot, Basian, Hassa, Shawal, Bhali, Bhanphora, Garlat, Qadarabad, Bhajuri, Sarash and Rin.

A Turkish firm, Light House, has arrived in Pakistan to establish two tent villages in the affected areas.

A convoy of 15 trucks carrying 12,712 blankets, 10 tons of ration, and 8 tons of other relief goods arrived in Abbottabad on Saturday. The goods were dispatched to the affected areas.

A convoy of 89 trucks loaded with relief supplies was sent from the army’s main base in Manshera to Garhi Habibullah, Shinkiari, Chattar and Balakot.

Besides, troops took 46,680kgs of relief supplies to 37 remote villages of Balakot, Shinkiari, Garhi Habibullah and Batgram sectors. About 5,210kg of relief goods were sent to inaccessible areas of Bastangra, Kalis, Barida, Satbani, Sarighar and Ghanool on mules of the army’s animal regiment.

Aviation helicopters performed 19 sorties from Chaklala to the affected areas of the NWFP carrying 315 tents, 6,790 blankets, 8.8 tons of ration, medicines and two tons of other relief goods.

Army aviation helicopters through 28 sorties from Manshera dropped 24 tons of relief goods in Balakot, Alai valley, Kawai, Paras, Shinkiari, Malakandi, Jared, Kaghan, Kala Dhaka, Naran, Jabori, Garhi Habibullah, Manda Gucha, Batgram and Nawazabad.

Meanwhile, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) continues to provide winterized tents with stoves to quake victims in various remote villages of Mansehra district. In a press release, NRC country director Stig Traavik said the council was targeting the most vulnerable people and added that an estimated three million people lacked adequate shelter.

The council continued to transport tents by helicopters in cooperation with the Pakistan army, he added.

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