 International rescue efforts were restricted by traffic congestion and blocked roads . Although US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates had previously ruled out dropping food and water by air as too dangerous , by 16 January , US helicopters were distributing aid to areas impossible to reach by land . 
 International rescue efforts <a href='uninflect' title='1'><mark>were</mark></a> restricted by traffic congestion and blocked roads . Although US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates <a href='been_done' title='2'><mark>had</mark></a> previously ruled out dropping food and water by air as too dangerous , by 16 January , US helicopters <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> distributing aid to areas impossible to reach by land . 
International rescue efforts was restricted by traffic congestion and blocked roads . Although US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates done previously ruled out droppin food and water by air as too dangerous , by 16 January , US helicopters was distributing aid to areas impossible to reach by land .