Baby may be first victim of new Kashmiri catastrophe

BAGH, PAKISTAN—

Subfreezing temperatures and the first snowfall in Kashmir have claimed the life of a 3- monthold suffering from pneumonia — the first reported victim of what officials fear will be a new disaster for millions of Pakistanis left homeless by an earthquake.

“ This is exactly what we had feared,” said Stephanie Bunker of the U. N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. “ We need to continue to do as much as possible to help mitigate this situation and prevent, insofar as that’s possible, any such occurrences in the future.”

Another official said the U. N. has received only $ 216 million in emergency relief funds, just 39 per cent of its appeal for $550 million ( U. S.) At least 300,000 people remain inaccessible in remote Himalayan regions, and none have tents, she said.

Pakistani troops and aid workers are building shelters as fast as they can. But with heavy rains and snow heralding the onset of a harsh winter, it is not fast enough for those living rough since the Oct. 8 earthquake that killed more than 87,000 people.

“ If we don’t get people into shelters, they will die. It’s as simple as that,” said Air Commodore Andrew Walton, commander of NATO’s disaster response team in Pakistan.