Three days of heavy rain have delayed a planned IOM evacuation of
1,025 earthquake-affected families from 23 villages in Muzaffarabad
tehsil in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The villages are
considered to be at high risk from landslides and floods during the
monsoon season.

 

"This is a new emergency as monsoon rains have arrived early this
season," said Muzaffarabad Commissioner Sardar Nawaz. "It seems
rains will continue and things will get worse."

 

The Camp Management Organization (CMO) in Pakistan-administered
Kashmir asked IOM to provide transport to relocate families living
in so-called "red zones" following a joint assessment survey
carried out by a British geological team, the Pakistan military and
the Pakistan Geological Survey. Another 355 families are expected
to need transport from Hattian tehsil.

 

"The situation is critical with camps flooding with rainwater,"
said John Sampson, acting head of IOM sub-office in Muzaffarabad.
"We have 15 vehicles ready and 25 on standby, but we can't begin
relocation of people until conditions improve in the camps."

 

The seven camps where these families will be settled include
Dherian Saidan, Thori, Tariqabad, Maira Tanolian-III, Khatpura,
Narrul-II and BMS-Chela in Muzaffarabad district.

 

More than 300 families have already left the red zone areas on
their own, fearing the upcoming bad weather.

 

IOM, along with UNHCR and UNICEF, is holding daily meetings with
the CMO to assess the situation in camps and begin early evacuation
of families at risk. If the weather improves and the CMO gives the
go-ahead, IOM is expecting to start the movement of approximately
100 families tomorrow.

 

For more information, please contact:

Saleem Rehmat

IOM Islamabad

Tel.: +92.300.8565967

Email: "mailto:srehmat@iom.int" target="_blank" title=
"">srehmat@iom.int