IOM, the government and relief agencies have launched an operation
to meet the urgent needs of some 5,000 vulnerable families faced by
sub-zero temperatures in devastated urban areas of
Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

The initiative, in response to a request from the Development
Authority of Muzaffarabad and the Municipal Corporation of Bagh,
will distribute winterization material contributed by agencies
including IOM, UNICEF, Islamic Relief, the Norwegian Refugee
Council, World Vision, Concern Worldwide, Premiere Urgence, ADRA
and ActionAid.

IOM has already contributed 600 winterized tents and 1,500
blankets to the overall requirement of 2,495 winterized tents,
27,950 blankets, 5,590 quilts and 4,990 plastic sheets.

"We have moved our stocks of relief materials to forward
locations in Muzaffarabad and Bagh and have started distribution.
We are now trying to speed up voucher distribution and the final
assessment process, which will allow us to complete the
distribution in a few days," says IOM project manager Conor
Fyans.

In the past three days, IOM and its partners have distributed
some 200 winterization kits, each consisting of one winterized
tent, five blankets, one quilt, two plastic sheets and warm
clothing for children, in six out of Muzaffarabad city's 20
wards.

In the Sir Syden Kiyatt area of Bagh, IOM and its partners will
today distribute some 60 winterized tents and plastic sheets or
tarpaulins to vulnerable urban residents, according to IOM Early
Recovery Officer David Savard.

"We are targeting some 550 more families in the next two to
three days in the Bhontt, Bugloor and Hullar areas. Distribution
should speed up with more support from NGOs based in the areas and
local government officials," he says.

IOM's ten Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), operating in areas
affected by the 2005 earthquake and funded by American
International Group Disaster Relief Fund (AIG DRF), are also
assisting in the distribution of relief items and assessing the
needs of vulnerable urban families.

Since October 2006, the RRTs have given first aid and disaster
preparedness training to more than 8,000 students, teachers,
volunteers, villagers and government officials; carried out risk
assessments in over 355 high altitude villages and provided
assistance to people in a variety of emergency cases.

Last night the RRT based in the Neelum Valley provided first aid
and evacuated two people injured in a road accident to the AIMS
Hospital in Muzaffarabad. It also helped local people to recover
four bodies from the accident site. The accident happened when a
jeep carrying six passengers fell into a ravine while taking a
sharp turn on a steep mountainous road.

For more information please contact:

Saleem Rehmat

IOM Pakistan

Tel. +92.300.8560341

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