Aid workers have resumed their visits by helicopter to the villages affected by the severe earthquake that struck north Afghanistan, after a temporary halt because of bad weather.

More badly injured are still being brought down to clinics and food is being taken up to the worst effected areas.

Thousands of survivors have not eaten since the earthquake struck a week ago and the quantities of food being taken to them is small.

Only three helicopters are so far in operation ferrying people and supplies to-and-from the affected villages. More are urgently needed. Some are expected, but none have so far arrived.

A local commander from one of the worst effected villages has come down to Faizabad to voice the concerns of survivors.

The commander, Ahmadullah, said he lost his wife, two sons and nine other close relatives in the disaster. He said he jumped out of a window when the earthquake struck.

It was like an explosion he said. In seconds, his whole village was flattened. Ahmadullah said people have left their villages to live in make-shift shelters where there are no cracks in the ground.

People are still very worried about after-shocks of which there have been several.

Ahmadullah said he was very concerned that aid sent by the Pakistani government to the local authorities was being locked away in store houses. He was worried it would not reach the survivors.