Aid reaches Pakistan quake victims

The army is helping out with emergency work

Urgent relief efforts are under way to help people in northern Pakistan hit by a series of earthquakes.

At least 17 people died and 65 were injured in the quakes which struck a mountainous area, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) east of the town of Gilgit, on Saturday and Sunday.

Thousands were left without food or shelter, and are having to cope with severe cold.

The authorities moved quickly to set up a tented camp in the area for those affected, and food and 2,000 blankets have been helicoptered in.

One family of seven died when their house collapsed on them in the remote Diamer district east of Gilgit where four villages bore the brunt of the damage.

Landslides caused by the quakes blocked the main Karakoram highway linking the area to the rest of the country, but it has now been partially reopened.

Continuing tremors

The main quake measured 5.6 on the Richter scale, according to the Pakistani state media. Tremors were reported to be continuing until Sunday night.

"Until last [Sunday] night, we recorded 90 jolts of different magnitudes, but the activity seems to be slowing down," said Salahuddin Malik of Pakistan's Seismic Centre.

Information Minister Nisar Memon flew over the area and said he saw houses which had simply crumbled away.

He said every effort was being made to help those who remained without shelter.

In one village about half the residents said they did not want to leave their homes, and wanted the aid to be brought to them.

The government has said it plans to build permanent houses in a safer area for the villagers - but it seems some want to stay on the land where they have lived for years.