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Pakistan

Pakistan: Landslides and floods lead to more deaths and displacement

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: srehmat@iom.int