Children and their families living in the earthquake-hit
areas of Pakistan and India are facing ever more extreme conditions after the new
year brought heavy snow storms and torrential rain to the region. Children are now
living in villages covered by more than three-feet of snow and temperatures have
dropped to minus 10.

It is almost three months since the earthquake on 8 October, and Save the Children
is continuing to battle the elements to get to the most vulnerable children, despite
roads being cut off and helicopter flights often cancelled due to poor visibility.

"We are still at the very peak of this emergency and the international community has
to remain focussed. Heavy snow and extreme cold is creating treacherous road
conditions, which are hampering the relief effort," said Jeremie Bodin, Save the
Children's Emergencies Advisor for the earthquake.

The Save the Children alliance has already distributed shelter to more than 25,000
families and provided thousands of quilts, blankets and other vital supplies.

"The bad weather has made life unimaginably hard for families and children in camps
and villages. We still see many children who are not even adequately dressed, with
sometimes only sandals to wear on their feet. We don't know how they will cope in
such harsh conditions, it is imperative that now, more than ever, relief efforts are
redoubled and focus on the most vulnerable," said Pete Sykes, Emergency Programme
Manager in Pakistan.

After every incident of severe weather a team from Save the Children goes out to the
areas they are working in and contact the remotest villages to make a rapid
assessment of the situation and what people need.

After the recent heavy snow and rain the teams found there had been many landslides
and most roads around Bagh were closed. Dozens of tents in temporary camps and in
the more rural mountainous areas had collapsed due to the weight of heavy snow or
problems caused by wet ground and flooding.

Children are particularly vulnerable in the harsh winter weather and are more
susceptible to pneumonia and respiratory infections brought on by the cold.[Source: CRIN]