Three days of unusually heavy rains and snowfall this week in
earthquake-affected areas of Pakistan-administered Kashmir
triggered landslides, cut road access and diverted water channels,
claiming at least 37 lives and forcing the evacuation of some 450
families to safer locations.

IOM's Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), funded by the American
International Group Disaster Relief Fund (AIG DRF), alerted local
authorities, relief agencies and the security forces, and
coordinated relief operations to meet the immediate needs of
families still under threat from unstable mountain terrain.

In Dobba Sayyedan village in the Jhelum Valley a landslide swept
away a number of houses early Wednesday, killing 27 people. Rescue
efforts were hampered by another mudslide. As of yesterday evening,
some 20 bodies had been recovered.

Road access to the village, which is near the Line of Control
with India, was blocked but IOM staff from Muzaffarabad and Hattian
RRTs flew into the area with a USAID helicopter on Thursday to
assess the situation, provide rapid medical assistance and help
distribute relief goods.

The IOM team has established a communications link with
Muzaffarabad and will remain in the area until the situation
improves, according to John Sampson, the head of the IOM sub-office
in Muzaffarabad.

A Pakistan Army helicopter has flown in relief supplies for 50
of the most vulnerable families in Dobba Sayyedan, evacuating 16
severely injured victims to a Muzaffarabad hospital.

IOM is providing road transport for tents, blankets, quilts,
hygiene kits, plastic sheets, stoves and food provided by the Camp
Management Organization, UNICEF, Catholic Relief Services, WFP and
ICRC for the remaining 300 affected families.

An IOM truck loaded with blankets and warm clothing for 80
people, as well as shovels, pick axes, stone breaking rods and saws
to dig out bodies trapped under timber beams, is also on its way to
the scene.

"The vehicles with food and non-food relief items are on their
way to Chinari – the closest point accessible by road. From
there the relief goods will be moved by mules or military
helicopter sorties until the roads are cleared," says Sampson.

Separately, IOM supported the evacuation of some 104 families
from a landslide-prone area in Tariqabad in Muzaffarabad to a safer
location, providing them with tents, blankets and plastic
sheets.

The IOM RRT in Bagh has also helped to relocate some 50 families
from landslide and flood-prone areas during the past three days in
addition to helping recover ten bodies of a family that died in a
landslide on Tuesday in Jabray, Nazarpur village, Dharrey Union
Council.

For more information, please contact:

Saleem Rehmat

IOM Pakistan

Tel +92.300.8565967

E-mail: "mailto:srehmat@iom.int">srehmat@iom.int