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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Time is running out for many hungry, homeless survivors of the South Asia earthquake, the U.N.'s emergency relief chief warned, as snow fell on parts of Kashmir.

U.N. Undersecretary General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland urged aid agencies on Thursday to speed up efforts in remote villages.

At least 23,000 people were killed in Saturday's devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake, which was centered in Pakistan's mountainous Himalayan region.

Pakistan's president Gen. Pervez Musharraf said nearly 2.5 million people are believed to be homeless as a result of the quake, and reaching them is the country's top priority.

Jan Egeland toured the devastated area on Thursday and told CNN's Matthew Chance immediate resources -- mainly helicopters and tents -- were needed to keep people alive.

"People are dying as we speak because we're not there in all of these villages where there are wounded people," Egeland said.

Egeland said the international community has donated about 20 helicopters, including some heavy-duty military choppers from the United States that are "worth their weight in gold," but more are needed to reach remote areas.

"I fear we're losing this cruel race against time to reach those outlying villages," he said.

His warning came as Pakistan's country's cabinet decided in an emergency meeting to set up a tent village for thousands of Pakistanis left homeless.

The Cabinet also decided to review the building code and regulations for construction to determine changes necessary to prevent such widespread destruction in the future.

The disaster has cost Pakistan billions of dollars, the Cabinet said, and international donors have pledged $360 million to offset that cost.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said Thursday that relief efforts were "entering another phase" as many residents have received food and shelter.

About 40,000 troops have been moved into the area, he said, "to make sure the distribution mechanism (for relief items) improves, and it is improving by the day."

Aziz said not all villages in remote northern Pakistan had been reached, however, mainly because settlements were spread out. "The number of choppers has increased substantially. We're getting to them one by one, but it does take time. It's fair to say that not all have been accessed yet."

In a televised address to the nation Wednesday night, Musharraf praised his people, calling the earthquake "a test for the nation" and requesting more international help.

Hours after Musharraf's address, a strong 5.6-magnitude aftershock shook buildings early Thursday in Pakistan's capital and the North-West Frontier province. No damage was reported.

Hundreds of millions of dollars worth of pledges have poured in from around the world, and the president thanked the international community for its response. But he said more help is needed, both financially and physically.

After initial reluctance, Pakistan decided to accept aid from India, with whom it has fought three wars -- two of them over the disputed Kashmir region that took the brunt of the quake. (Working together)

In the disputed Kashmir region, Pakistani soldiers requested help from Indian troops, who crossed the Line of Control to help repair their damaged bunker, according to an Indian army spokesman.

In India, where the quake is responsible for at least 1,300 deaths, New Delhi is facing similar challenges as it tries to get aid into Indian-controlled Kashmir, where roads are still being cleared of debris.

Millions homeless

With health experts warning the Himalayan region could become a fertile breeding ground for disease, Musharraf said food, medicine and shelter are the prime necessities.

"Communication has broken down; roads are damaged," he said. "Telecommunications and electrical lines are destroyed."

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Pakistan after saying Washington would likely add to the $50 million it has committed to the quake recovery effort.(Full story)

The quake struck near Balakot, a city of about 250,000, 145 kilometers (90 miles) north-northeast of Islamabad. (In pictures)

In Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir, hungry survivors mobbed relief trucks loaded with food and water. (Grabbing food)

The World Food Program said its first convoy of trucks with emergency food rations arrived in Abbottabad, Pakistan, the first in what the WFP said will be multiple deliveries of high-energy food bars flown from Europe.

"We are doing all we can to get this food where it is needed most as fast as possible," said German Valdivia, WFP representative in Pakistan.

"It will be enough for 400,000 people ... for the next two days, by which time we should have established a proper supply line."

Valdivia called the situation "increasingly desperate" and said many areas have no safe water, no electricity and limited food supplies.

"They are living out in the open in the mountains, and it is extremely cold," Valdivia said in a news release.

"We will be providing one million people with ready-to-eat food over the next month."

'Too slow'

Musharraf defended his government's response to the disaster -- a response some Pakistanis criticized as too slow -- saying the scope of the catastrophe made such problems unavoidable.

"Disaster is always painful, and the people who are still facing that are facing a very bad situation," he said.

"In these dangerous situations, the easiest thing is to blame someone. Instead of blaming someone, we have to face it with confidence.

The president said relief efforts took some time to get started because the administrative structure in the affected regions collapsed and roads were impassable.

Many roads are now clear, he said, but other places remain inaccessible except by air.

He said he could not praise the Pakistani people enough for jumping in and helping with relief efforts.

Health worries

As concern rises about the the health of those living in makeshift shelter, medical teams from throughout Pakistan and the world have rushed to the earthquake zone to treat injuries and prevent life-threatening infections. (Racing to the zone)

Many hospitals were damaged and many health workers were killed or injured in the quake, the World Health Organization said as it appealed for $21.7 million in aid.

Help is needed for emergency surgery, while safe food and water is essential to prevent diarrhea spreading among survivors living in crowded, unsanitary shelters, WHO said.

Antibiotics to treat pneumonia, another major risk, is also a priority as victims have been camping outdoors in freezing overnight temperatures.

The agency also warned about the possibility of a measles epidemic, as only 60 percent of children in the region are protected.

CNN's Andrew Stevens, Satinder Bindra, Matthew Chance, Ram Ramgopal, Becky Anderson, Syed Mohsin Naqvi, John Raedler, Mukhtar Ahmed and Tom Coghlan contributed to this report.

Quake rescuers 'race against time'

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