Pakistan Update: Not a Good Time to Be Trapped in Swat

[NTDTV footage of relief efforts in Pakistan]

Or, in short - still bad, getting worse.  In the past three weeks, over 1.45 million people have fled the fighting between Pakistani military and the Taliban.

Yet as many as 200,000 remain trapped on the front lines.

An article on Reuters AlertNet quoted a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch, who described the situation of those left behind:

"There has been no power since April 29 as generators do not have any fuel to run, the phone lines are down, there is limited clean water, food stocks are running low and there is an acute shortage of medicines."

A report from the Red Cross paints a similarly grim picture:

"Fighting and a general lack of security have disrupted supply chains in Dir, Buner and Swat, making goods – food in particular – scarce and expensive. In addition, frequent curfews make it difficult for people to obtain whatever basic services do happen to be available in their towns and villages. In Mingora, for example, the Swat district's main hospital is now abandoned and water and electricity have been cut off for over a week."

Of those who have fled, ReliefWeb reports that 83% are seeking shelter with host families or have rented accommodation, while 17% are in internally displaced person camps.

For a detailed map of the area - including displaced person locations - see here.