ISLAMABAD, March 4: The World Food Programme (WFP) has started its emergency operation to distribute food worth $500,000 in rain and snowfall-affected areas of the country.

A statement issued here on Friday said under the operation, as many as 29,500 families would be provided with basic ration of wheat flour at 40kg and vegetable oil at 4.3kg per family for a period of one month.

It said food assistance would be extended to 3,500 families in Gwadar (Balochistan), 13,000 in the NWFP, 8,000 in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and 5,000 in the Northern Areas.

The emergency operation was a result of unprecedented winter rains and snowfall on the mountains in northern and south-western parts of the country. It said assessment reports had shown loss of life and damage to assets including food, agriculture crops, livestock and drinking water resources.

According to United Nations Disaster Management Team (UNDMT) rapid assessment reports, the human losses amounted to 341 deaths and 289 injuries in the NWFP, while 214 deaths and 123 injuries were reported in the six worst-affected districts.