Author: Mohammed Rizwan
The massive relief operation launched in Azad Kashmir and the NWFP is in danger of losing a race against time if more than 100,000 tents are not immediately airlifted to the weather-stricken survivors of the earthquake, says UNHCR. "Weather and logistical problems are seriously hampering the airlifting of tents and blankets to millions of homeless in the area and if something is not done in the shortest possible span of time, there is a danger of another tragedy to unfold," Vivan Tan, the UNHCR communications manager, told Daily Times. The UN agency has been able to airlift 3,000 tents from its warehouses in Pakistan and Afghanistan with another consignment of 14,000 tents on the way. "The logistics stand in the way. The relief operation has choked the airports in Pakistan and Dubai and whatever we want to bring in immediately is getting delayed," Tan said. He said the UNHCR had brought 14,000 tents from its warehouses in the NWFP while 20,000 blankets, 50,000 plastic sheets, 10,000 jerry cans and 1,500 tents were being sent to Mansehra from warehouse in Afghanistan. A consignment of 4,000 tents from Dubai was expected to reach Islamabad on Monday evening. The agency has another stock of 9,915 tents, 103,675 blankets and 2,000 stoves in Turkey which could be transported along with 35,000 blankets, 16,000 mattresses and 8,000 rolls of plastic sheets in stock from Iran. "The main problem is in carrying these things to the affected areas because most of the survivors are on hilltops which are becoming more inaccessible with every passing day due to bad weather," Tan added. The UNHCR spokesperson said the agency had few relief goods left in Afghanistan. "The majority of Afghan refugee villages have converted to mud houses and tents there have been worn out or taken to other areas."