As winter approaches, up to 250,000
earthquake survivors with inadequate shelter
will be exposed to the cold. It is feared that
many will die.
Imminent snow raises fears for survivors
High in the Neelum Valley and the dazzling mountain
ranges which envelope Muzaffarabad, a frightening
sight is set to descend from the skies. In years
gone by it would bring children rushing from
their houses in eager anticipation and joy.
But
the children would have been wrapped up in woolly
jumpers and padded jackets, with a warm meal
waiting their return in the evening. This year
however, when the heavens open and snow falls
in this region there will be little joy or eager
anticipation.
Instead the wintry snow and frosty chill will
be greeted with misery by the desperate people
of Kashmir and the coming dark months are set
to pose an immense challenge for all relief
agencies working in this region.
Temperatures will fall below zero and with
many having only tents to shelter them from
the freezing conditions the situation looks
bleak.
Catastrophic Situation
Islamic Relief staff in the field now find themselves
in a race against time to get tents and blankets
to the most remote regions which could be cut
off with the imminent snowfall.
Samina Haq, Desk Officer with Islamic Relief
for Kashmir is fearful that time is running
out to get aid and shelter to these areas, she
said:
"It's a desperate situation – we
have maybe a couple of weeks before the weather
falls to freezing and then it's going to be
extremely difficult to get aid to the remote
areas.
"In
total, across the whole earthquake region, about
250,000 people are at risk. I'm not sure people
realise how serious this is – it could
be catastrophic."
One of the problems faced by aid agencies like
Islamic Relief is that villagers high in the
mountains are reluctant to move down to the
lower plains without their possessions, especially
cattle, which in many cases is the only thing
of value which they still have.
They are hoping to make it through the freezing
conditions, but many will not, especially the
young and the old who will be most vulnerable
to the cold weather.
Samina Haq added: "We do have a problem
with getting some of the people down, they have
lost everything and they are fearful that if
they come down then they will lose their livestock.
"But we need to work fast because once
the snow arrives it will be near on impossible
to get up there. Their current shelter is just
not adequate enough to deal with the coming
weather conditions."
The Kashmiri winter usually lasts up until March
and in some places the snowfall will be as deep
as 10 feet.
Muhammed Niyaz, an Islamic Relief worker in
Pakistan, knows how difficult it will be to
get to the remote regions, he said:
"The only way we can get there is by helicopter
and there are few available. The weather is
so harsh until the end of February."
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