U.N. agencies, meanwhile, announced a shortfall of $42.4 million for relief aid in the month of November, warning the death toll could surge as the onset of the bitter Himalayan winter cuts off communities.

Several hundred protesters gathered on the Pakistan side of the Punch Valley in disputed Kashmir, frustrated by a delay in plans to let civilians cross the frontier as part of relief efforts. Nobody was reported hurt, but authorities arrested at least two men carrying young boys who made a dash to the Indian side of the region.

''We want a free Kashmir and we want to travel freely,'' said Mohammed Saffir Abbasi, a 57-year-old retired Pakistani army soldier, as he wiped his eyes that were watering from the tear gas that wafted across the fields, just 200 yards from the Line of Control.

The trouble broke out less than an hour after Indian and Pakistani officials shook hands across a length of white tape run across a ceremonial dirt square.

India then started handing over 25 truckloads of tents, blankets, food and medicine, while Pakistan sent one truck of relief goods to India.

''Some enthusiasts tried to cross. It's a military zone and we fired tear gas as we didn't want anyone to lose a limb,'' Pakistani army Brig. Tahir Naqvi, the area commander, said.

Some gunfire rang out, possibly warning shots, though police denied they had fired anything but tear gas canisters.

Earlier, India began handing over tents, food and medicine to Pakistan as part of a much-heralded partial opening of their frontier, following the region's devastating Oct. 8 earthquake.

Naqvi shook hands with Indian Brig. A.K. Bukshi across a white line at the crossing and they declared it open for aid exchanges.

Trucks then backed up to the line and porters from the Indian side handed the first batch of aid - sacks packed with tents - to counterparts on the Pakistani side, who loaded them on their truck. The process was repeated with other trucks.

''It's definitely a historic moment,''' said Braj Raj Sharma, a top civilian official in India's Jammu-Kashmir state. ''They say that adversity unites people. This is what is happening today.''