PESHAWAR, Nov 23: The situation in isolated villages in mountainous regions is quite alarming and can turn into a nightmare if shelter is not provided to quake survivors before it starts snowing, the country director of Norwegian Refugees Council, Stig Traavik, said here on Wednesday.

He said that providing shelter to earthquake victims was an urgent need and was the top priority of aid agencies as well.

He said that the Norwegian Refugees Council was already present in Pakistan and reacted immediately after the Oct 8 earthquake. The first priority was to address the shelter needs of victims. The Norwegian Refugee Council is distributing tents along with stoves to the most vulnerable people in the remotest of areas.

Mr Traavik said: “The Government of Pakistan and the international assistance community has so far been able to respond to the crisis, but in order to sustain relief efforts and secure reconstruction, Pakistan needs more support. President Musharraf and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan have underlined the need for an adequate financial response in line with what the international community mobilized after the tsunami.”

He stated that the Norwegian Refugees Council strongly supports these pleas. He added that the Norwegian Refugee Council had been distributing winterized tents along with stoves to earthquake victims in Mansehra district, Shangla district, and villages lying North East and North West of Balakot.

Mr Traavik said that the council had already reached 30,000 beneficiaries and had been planning to reach more with tents and stoves in coming days. “We are also planning to lend our support to the Government of Pakistan in camp management in Mansehra,” he added.

He said that the Norwegian Refugees Council worked closely with military and civilian authorities and enjoyed support from General Saeed Shakeel Ahmad, Emergency Coordinator from the Pakistani army, and other senior commanders involved in air bases in the area.

Mr Traavick said that distribution in remote areas was made possible through Pakistani army helicopters, by roads and mules, and on foot.