"The intermittent rain and heavy snow has disrupted the relief operations in the earthquake-hit areas," a meteorological official said. "More snow, heavy at times in earthquake affected areas, is expected during the next 24 hours."

Rain and snowfall have grounded aid helicopters while new landslides have blocked several roads in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and North Western Frontier Province.

The 7.6 magnitude earthquake on October 8 killed more than 73,000 people and left more than three million homeless.

"The night we spent was like hell, the cold was just unbearable and water leaked through the tent from all sides," Tariq Ali, whose home was destroyed by the quake, told AFP.

Administration officials in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani Kashmir, told AFP that all connecting roads, except one that links the region with Abbottabad district, had been closed due to landslides and snow.

According to the meteorological department, temperatures were close to freezing overnight in many areas and below freezing at the higher elevations.

Weather reports said daytime temperatures were 8 to 12 degrees Celsiusto 53 Fahrenheit), below the normal seasonal temperatures in affected areas.

Health officials said that so far situation was "under control" as there was no influx of patients into field hospitals.

"A few cases of acute respiratory infection have been reported during the last two days but there is no major problem," said district health officer Mahmood Ahmed Khan.

The team leader of the World Health Orgnanisation in Muzaffarabad, Rudolf Wabitsch, said the cold snap had not caused a disease outbreak.

"We are monitoring the situation and as such there is no major epidemic," Wabitsch said.

Military officials said that rations stored at distribution points would be enough for one week in the event that supplies do not get through.

Pakistani army brigadier Iftikhar Ali Khan said plastic sheets, blankets, oil and gas heaters were being distributed.

He said the military had helped to build more than 20,000 shelters by providing corrugated metal sheets and the material retrieved from the rubble of their homes.

The United Nations and other relief agencies helped build 48,000 shelters so far, Khan said.

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