ISLAMABAD, Nov 17: The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees delivered on Wednesday nearly half of the 240 tons of aid planned for distribution in the Leepa Valley. According to a statement, two British Royal Air Force Chinook helicopters were used to carry the supplies from Muzaffarabad to helipads in the area in the first round, where they were distributed among families with the assistance of Pakistan Army.

Over the next few days, the UNHCR is providing 2,000 tents, 36,000 blankets, 4,000 plastic sheets, 4,000 kitchen sets and 4,000 jerry cans to survivors in the valley, where an estimated 16,000 people in the population of 35,000 have been affected by the October 8 earthquake.

“It is extremely important that we provide shelter and other supplies to these high altitude communities as quickly as possible. Snow is already accumulating on the peaks and soon these areas will be under several metres,” said UNHCR emergency coordinator in the region Christine Neveu.

Villages in the Banamula area, where supplies were delivered on Wednesday, were cut off by landslides until recently.