PESHAWAR, Nov 15: The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has inducted MI-26 helicopter in its fleet to expedite relief work in the quake-hit areas of the NWFP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The Russian-made giant helicopter arrived at the Peshawar International Airport on Monday and was flown to Islamabad on Tuesday.

The committee’s media relations officer, Syed Raza Hamdani, told newsmen here on Tuesday that the ICRC had already inducted 10 helicopters, including three Puma and six MI-6, for the relief operations.

He said that induction of the MI-26 chopper would particularly help the ICRC to expedite its relief work in the northern parts of the country.

Mr Hamdani said that the committee had set up distribution network in the quake-hit areas and was operating several field hospitals in collaboration with other Red Cross committees to provide health care facilities to the survivors.

He said that relief goods including blankets, tents, shawls and basic ration are dispatched by road while tarpaulins are sent by air to the affected areas.