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| January 16, 2006 | Monday | Zilhaj 15, 1426 |
Rain, snow ground quake relief flights
MUZAFFARABAD, Jan 15: Rain and snow grounded relief flights and triggered several landslides in the earthquake zone on Sunday, cutting off remote villages and towns. UN spokesman Ben Malor said that all relief flights had been grounded for the time being due to bad weather. “We are waiting to see if the weather get clear,” he added
Meanwhile, a Pakistan Army official in the area said that helicopters, which had been flying up to 70 sorties a day to highland areas, were grounded on Sunday morning owing to rain.
He said that rain-triggered landslides had blocked roads leading to quake-affected areas of Jhelum and Neelum valleys.
The meteorological department said that rain and snowfall had started and so far Balakot and Muzaffarabad had recorded 15mm of rain.
Snow has enveloped the upper regions of Azad Kashmir, including Peer Chanasi, Kai Manga, Leepa valley, Ganja Daka and Neelum valley, it said.
The UN has warned about a potential outbreak of cold-related illness in quake areas.
The National Forecasting Centre in Islamabad said that earthquake-hit areas were in the grip of another strong weather system which was likely to cause moderate to heavy snowfall during the next four to five days.
“Daily temperatures are likely to stay several degrees below freezing, especially in mountainous areas in the next few days.”
Relief officials said that, anticipating the bad weather, they had planned ahead to keep key roads open and food supplies moving to quake survivors.
“Pakistan Army engineers are already in place to clear landslides,” military spokesman Major Farooq Nasir told AFP.
“Contingency camps for food dumping have already been established in the Neelum and Jhelum valleys to cope with any emerging situation.” Survivors living in tents said they dreaded the wet and cold weather.
“We have been praying for no more rains and snowfall, but since the rain has started, it has compounded our misery,” farmer Muhammad Nawaz told AFP outside his tent.—Agencies
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