The death toll from the destructive earthquake in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan Province has crossed 300, the state television reported on Friday.

Around 40,000 people were displaced and 200 villages were affected in the earthquake, reported state-run PTV.

The DAWN newspaper reported Friday that thousands of earthquake survivors spent another night in open places, threatened by biting, coldness and hunger.

The Balochistan provincial government has sent tents, blankets and other relief goods to the affected areas, but these could not reach a majority of the affected people.

Meanwhile, aftershocks have made it more difficult for relief operations. More than 250 aftershocks have been recorded, local newspaper Daily Times quoted a Meteorological Department official as saying. He said that aftershocks were likely to continue into next week and fortunately would decrease in strength.

The chairman of Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Farooq Ahmed Khan, has confirmed the destruction of at least 2,000 houses.

The NDMA says 2,000 tents, 5,000 blankets and other supplies have been dispatched to Balochistan, but poor road conditions have hampered delivery.

(Xinhua News Agency October 31, 2008)