Landslides and floods caused by a week of heavy monsoon rains in
earthquake-affected areas of North West Frontier Province and
Pakistan-administered Kashmir have led to more displacement and
death.

Five people including women and children were killed as
torrential rains flooded Guldheri and Jogeri villages near Balakot
during the night between Wednesday and Thursday with rescuers
continuing to search for survivors after mudslides changed the
course of Kunhar River.

At least 200 mud houses in Guldheri, Jogeri and Kashtra villages
were washed away by the river, forcing people to move up on to
mountain slopes to save their lives.

“The flood waters have cut off what is left of Guldheri
and Jogeri villages from those who have moved higher up for
safety,” said Arshad Rashid, head of IOM sub-offices in
Mansehra and Bagh. Almost 200 families are believed to be
cut-off.

At least 17 people were killed earlier this week after mudslides
caused by the heavy rains buried spontaneous tent settlements in
Muzaffarabad and Garhi Habibullah.

The heavy monsoon rains have left thousands of people at risk in
quake-affected areas from landslides and flooding with the terrain
remaining highly unstable following last year’s disaster that
left more than 75,000 people dead.

In Manshera district, at least 400 families at risk from
landslides and floods need urgently to be relocated with an
additional 180 families in two camps in Balakot also requiring
assistance following the flooding of their camps.

IOM, UNHCR and district authorities are planning to transport
400 Manshera families to a camp in Jaba near Mansehra city with new
tents and water and sanitation facilities currently being
established to accommodate them. Manshera city has so far been
spared by the torrential rains.

For further information, please contact:

Saleem Rehmat

IOM Pakistan

Tel: +92 300 8565967

Email: "mailto:srehmat@iom.int">srehmat@iom.int