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Pakistan

Pakistan - Earthquake: OCHA Situation Report No. 22

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 0201
OCHA Situation Report No. 22
South Asia - Earthquake
Pakistan

SUMMARY OVERVIEW

Casualty figures:

The official estimates of casualty figures from the Federal Relief Commission (FRC), as of 11 November, remain unchanged: 73,318 dead and 69,392 seriously injured. These may still rise.

Situation Update:

1. Population movements from the mountainous, remote villages to the lower grounds continue and contingency planning based on scenarios of projected population movements requires focused attention.

2. Although camp development continues at a rapid pace, uncontrolled population movement could overwhelm facilities currently available. Continued provision of assistance to populations in situ also remains advisable for those who do not plan to move.

3. Water and sanitation issues are becoming critical. A serious outbreak of acute watery diarrhoea in Muzaffarabad and other earthquake-affected areas requires focused attention on the improvement of water and sanitation facilities in the self-settled camps in particular. Humanitarian actors are working closely with the Federal Relief Commission and the Pakistani military to train teams to visit all self-settled camps, assist with water, sanitation and hygiene education and the provision of sanitation facilities.

4. There are new concerns over the reported 60,000 people living above the snow line in Kaghan Valley and 100,000 people in the Allai. Most are in urgent need of shelter assistance, including the winterisation of the already provided tents, or support is needed to help them move to lower areas.

5. Access to the earthquake-affected areas has improved significantly since the clearance and re-opening of the roads leading to Kaghan and Jehlum Valleys. However, there is a security concern related to movements on roads that are still vulnerable to landslides.

6. The NATO/UNHCR airlift that began on October 19 from Incirlik, Turkey, has so far delivered 1,018 tonnes in 79 sorties. Five trucks with supplies from stocks in Iran are now on their way to Mansehra with 10,000 blankets, 4,000 mattresses, 3,000 plastic sheets, 2,000 kitchen sets and lanterns. An additional 360,000 blankets are on their way from Jordan, India and Turkey.

Key deliveries after the first month:

- 373,000 tents delivered - 241,000 by the Government and 132,000 by the international community (additional 127,000 tents ordered and in pipeline).

- 3,800 passengers and 531 MTs of cargo have been carried on UNHAS helicopters.

- 8,300 MTs of mixed commodities to 775,000 beneficiaries.

- Supplies have been restored to all major hospitals in the affected areas.

- In Muzaffarabad, water supply systems, serving more that 200,000 people, have been 90% restored.

- One million sachets of chlorine provided to rural populations.

- 25,000 hygiene kits provided to rural areas.

- 76 teams (44 international and 32 MoH) are providing primary health care through static and mobile units.

- 9 mental health teams have been mobilised to focus on psychosocial support.

- 300 'school-in-a-box' kits and 57 tents have been provided for school. (50,000 slates and 2,500 plastic sheeting are ready for distribution).

- 18 organised camps - currently housing 3,200 families - have been established by GoP with support of camp management cluster partners.

Funding:

Committed contribution to the UN Flash Appeal has slightly increased and reached US$98.5 million out of the US$ 550 million requested. A total of US$38 million has been pledged. This brings the total pledges and commitments to US$136.5 million (24.8% of the requested amount).

Priority Activities for November

Shelter: continued assistance to those in high altitude villages, with materials and technical support, to create 'warm rooms'; provision of 10,000 self-help shelter repair kits; the provision of winterised tents, and the winterisation of existing tents.

Camp Management: identification of additional sites, and establishment of camps for populations arriving from high ground; providing heating/cooking equipment, improving existing conditions, particularly in sanitation, in self-settled camps.

Food and Nutrition: pre-positioning food supplies for 200,000 above the snowline; providing general food rations for 600,000 accessible by road; providing supplementary feeding for 20,000 children under 5 years and micronutrient supplementation for 240,000 pregnant women and 600,000 children.

Logistics: maintain, coordinate and task air deliveries, ensuring priority areas are covered; provide mobile storage tents for up to 20,000 MT of food and non-food items.

Health: vaccinate a further 200,000 children, provide essential and basic health care to people in camps and up to 200,000 people in isolated areas, maintain life-saving services through at least 10 field hospitals and distribute 100,000 hygiene kits for women and adolescent girls.

Water and Sanitation: install latrines in planned and self-settled camps; continued emergency solid waste operations and repair of damaged water supply systems; provide family water tanks and sanitation/hygiene kits.

Education: establish a further 60 temporary schools for up to 40,000 children.

Protection: register all people in camps (Muzaffarabad, Balakot, Mansehra) and identify separated and unaccompanied children.

Coordination Overview

7. Regular cluster meetings have been re-established after the Eid, with emphasis on developing a 'strategic', oversight role of the cluster groups in Islamabad and a 'tactical', implementing role of the sub-clusters in the field. There is a current focus on strengthening information management, both within and between the clusters and vis-à-vis the Government, in support of the humanitarian response. Regular formal meetings have been established with relevant counterparts in the Federal Relief Commission on Security and on Information Management.

8. At a press conference in Islamabad on 8 November, cluster achievements and activities one month after the earthquake were reviewed. The need for continued support was stressed as the humanitarian community targets, in November, up to 200,000 people who may be cut off with the onset of winter and support for those who move into camps, within the context of the overall life-saving relief operation.

9. In a meeting in Islamabad on 9 November, donors were given an update on the relief effort to date, the current financial situation, the priorities established for November, and the upcoming 19 November Government Conference on Reconstruction. In preparation for the latter, two draft documents have been submitted to the Government: the Asian Development Bank and World Bank's Preliminary Damage and Needs Assessment, and the UN Early Recovery Framework.

Mansehra Overview

10. Accurate information on movement of populations remains very limited. The military continue to underscore the voluntary nature of the relocation process, but are concerned about the well being of vulnerable people before the onset of the harsh winter. Four main factors are cited to explain a reluctance for some populations to move: people are awaiting compensation payments; uncertainty regarding available services and assistance provided at new locations; the majority of the affected are poor tenants, and there is a fear that they will lose their land; reluctance to abandon their main source of income, the livestock.

11. The army estimates that more than 1,000 people from Kaghan Valley and 500 from Allai descend every day to Mansehra, where they are absorbed into the host community or settle in established tented villages.

12. The Government has compensated over 400 families, focusing on compensation for death loss in particular. Compensation for damaged property is a priority for populations also, as they require the funds to facilitate the rebuilding process.

13. Shelter and Health clusters have established sub/working groups within the cluster to focus on actionable recommendations. Shelter and Camp Management cluster conduct joint meetings to facilitate cross-cluster fertilization.

Bagh Overview

14. The local authorities have commenced compensation payments for families of Rps. 100,000 for death in the family and Rps. 25,000 for loss of houses. The Governor of Punjab has given 400 tool kits to the army to be distributed.

15. Preparations and planning for deliveries to priority high-risk areas above 5000 feet is ongoing.

16. The army's CIMCoord liaison officer is interested in strengthening the cooperation with the international humanitarian community.

17. The following clusters meet regularly: Shelter, Water and Sanitation, Food, Health and Education.

Batagram Overview

18. An inter-agency assessment mission to Banna in Allai Tehsil was conducted on 10 November and confirmed the urgent need for immediate shelter assistance as well as strengthened humanitarian coordination and UN presence in these severely affected areas. In area, 98% of the houses are destroyed. 3,200 people died and 6,000 are injured.

19. A total number of 5,000 people (by 10 November) from the Allai have settled in the two larger camps in Batagram - 2,808 are living in Batagram 1 and 2, 201 in Meira. In addition, an estimated number of 20,000 people have descended from the Allai and moved to other locations. The military is committed to assist in transporting people from the high elevation villages to the lower grounds. There are indications, however, that some poor farmers are reluctant to leave as their landlords oppose people vacating from the area.

Balakot Overview

20. Registration points have been established by the military at the entrance point to the city in order to register new arrivals. The number of people that have been registered, indicate that there is a steady, but no massive population movement from Kaghan towards Balakot (56 families registered on 7 November, 43 families registered by mid-day on 8 November).

21. The army is coordinating the humanitarian activities and chairing the daily coordination meeting with the humanitarian organisations in Balakot. Cluster meetings have not been initiated yet.

Muzaffarabad Overview

22. The humanitarian planning cell is being actively applied by both military and civilian organisations, using the Government's priority list of at-risk villages on their framework. Both the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) and the Austrian Forces Disaster Relief Unit (AFRDU) actively support the planning cell.

23. 'Who, What, Where' maps are becoming key to the overall relief operation.

EMERGENCY SHELTER CLUSTER

24. The 'Winter Race' programme has started distribution of emergency shelter supplies to the Neelum valley. IOM has procured 1,600 repair kits with another 8,400 are in the pipeline for delivery by 30 November. The programme aims to expand to 20 teams of 5 persons each, to deliver 10,000 kits over the next 30 day, at a rate of 350 kits a day. The Government is in the process of procuring up to 200,000 corrugated galvanized iron sheets from national suppliers to free distribution by the military and international community as required.

25. UNHCR has donated non-food items (50,000 blankets, 20,000 rolls of plastic, 2,000 kitchen sets 4,000 jerry cans) to the programme.

26. Targeting of especially vulnerable groups remains a concern. Winterization of non-winterized family tents already supplied requires additional support.

27. In Muzaffarabad, the Leepa Valley has been identified as a seriously affected area, which has not been provided with shelter assistance. The military's distribution plan for the Neelum Valley will be further developed, coordinated and synchronized in order to finalise the operational distribution plan for the area.

28. In Mansehra, transport of family tents to the Kaghan Valley has commenced. The plan is to transport 200 tents per day. 2,000 out of the 10,000 IOM self-help kits and 150 out of the 250 repair kits planned for will be allocated to Mansehra district. Mercy Corps is targeting 6,000 beneficiaries in the Seran Valley. Transport and distribution of shelter items is slow due to road access and weight constrictions.

29. In Batagram, summer tents have been provided to 75% of the population in lower areas, whereas only 20% of the people in higher areas have been covered. There is an urgent need to provide 10,000 winterized tents and 140,000 blankets to the affected people, especially to those living above the snow line.

30. In Bagh, verification of villages in high-risk areas is ongoing. Still awaiting a final list of the high-risk villages from the army.

LOGISTICS CLUSTER

31. In Muzaffarabad, in addition to the existing WFP and UNICEF Rubbhalls at the airport, two Rubbhalls are being erected. TNT is to take overall management of common service NFI warehousing at the airport site. The warehousing site in Muzaffarabad will have 1.5 to 2 Rubbhalls available for NFIs from 12 November. Garhi Habibullah has 5 Rubbhalls operational.

32. In Mansehra, attention is drawn to cargo prioritisation, this currently being shelter, medical kits and watsan. 16 M18 and 2 Mi26s are available for more two weeks, thereafter, depending on funding.

33. In Bagh, UNJLC is assessing the potential for aid deliveries to high-risk areas in Havali Tehsil.

FOOD CLUSTER

34. In Mansehra, a total of 1,029 MTs of mixed commodities have been distributed to 148,117 beneficiaries. The army, UNICEF and Sungi (national NGO) cover the food distribution.

35. In Batagram, focused attention is on the provision of food to 83,000 of the affected populations in the remote villages of Allai.

HEALTH CLUSTER

36. In Muzaffarabad, 200 cases of acute watery diarrhoea have been reported so far at the Old University camp. Patients are being treated in the medical clinic in the camp and measures are being taken to isolate them from the rest of the camp population in order to avoid further spread of diarrhoea. The outbreak is caused by the extremely poor sanitation and hygiene situation in the camp. Acute water-borne diseases in Chinari has stabilized. Three cases of suspected diphtheria (in Gahri Depata and Srisatchal) are being investigated.

37. In Muzaffarabad, the total number of health centres is 61, out of which 21 are covered by NGOs, and 4 by the Department of Health. The remaining 36 health centres are in need of support. A measure to expand the outreach programmes, to better manage the information on vaccination, on incidence of vaccine preventable diseases and improve distribution of vaccines, has been agreed upon.

38. In Mansehra, there is no notification of communicable diseases. 89% of the target population have been vaccinated against measles. There remains a continued need for female medical personnel in the Kaghan and Seran Valleys to treat female patients.

39. In Bagh, the NATO hospital is the process of being established. The Ministry of Health (MoH) has raised concern for the cold chain, which is not functioning properly. The hospital will provide blood bank services. The WHO warehouse will be operational shortly.

40. In Batagram, it has been reported that four children in Tandol village in the Allai Valley have died as a result of diarrhoea. Medical and cholera kits are needed for the areas.

WATER AND SANITATION CLUSTER

41. In Muzaffarabad, progress has been made in installing latrines in the permanent camps at Thorai Park and Mera Tinoliya. Over 700 latrines have been installed in 10 camps, but around 50% of the camps still do not have latrines. The failure to receive more material has affected the rate of installation, which was reaching 80-90 per day. Continued efforts to install latrines are required to provide one latrine for every 20 persons in camps.

42. The water situation is continuously improving, with progress being made in repairing the Makri treatment plant. Solid waste collection and disposal is continuing in the public areas and health facilities of the city.

43. In order to improve the hygiene situation, especially in the camps, hygiene kits are required and hygiene activities should be initiated. Installation of water supply and latrines in 5 permanent identified camps need focused attention.

44. In Mansehra, efforts continue to repair over 87 water facilities/points in the area and implement watsan interventions in tented camps.

45. The cluster has identified solid waste management as an issue of concern. OCHA/UNEP team are working in close cooperation with the local authority to develop a strategy to address waste management.

46. In Bagh, chlorination of four main water sources in the town is being undertaken. Main watsan challenges in Bagh include procuring sufficient supplies of latrine slabs and construction of pit latrines along the river, as the latrine floor must be 1.4 meters above ground water table (according to the authorities).

47. In Balakot, 3000 meters of pipes are needed to provide water to the Batakare village.

EDUCATION CLUSTER

48. Education activities started in all parts of PAK following Eid. The Government has expressed strong aspiration to bring all children back to school. A board, set up by the Government of PAK, will undertake assessment of the structures of all damaged schools to identify sites where education activities can begin with minor restoration work.

49. In Muzaffarabad, 13 schools have been identified for clearance of rubble and installation of tents for re-opening of primary and elementary education activities. SCF-UK has started establishment of safe play areas in 13 camps in the area. Re-opening of schools is mainly delayed due to lack of proper tents.

50. In Bagh, ADRA Pakistan reports that 60 tents for schools are in the pipeline. 100 school tents, allocated for Bagh, are available in Islamabad.

PROTECTION CLUSTER

51. In Bagh, agencies monitor the army's focus on and support for vulnerable female- headed households and other vulnerable people, as outlined in the FRC National Plan of Action.

CAMP MANAGEMENT CLUSTER

52. In Muzaffarabad city and the surroundings, a survey of 14 spontaneous campsites is ongoing in order to prioritise interventions. In the Jehlum Valley, camp sites are being identified.

53. 35 families who are being returned to Muzaffarabad from Islamabad will be accommodated in Thorai Park camp. The Government and UNHCR conducted a survey of camps on 8 November to identify permanent camps and those to be closed in the near future.

54. In Batagram district, there are 248 tented villages is total, hosting 9,611 families - 221 villages (8,016 families) in Allai Tehsil and 27 villages (882 families) in Batagram Tehsil. The two larger camps are Batagram 1, (307 families) and Meira (457 families). Approximately 40 new families arrive in Meira camp every day. The camp has been provided with a health clinic and some water and sanitation facilities.

55. In Hassa tented village (500 tents), close to Balakot, waste management is a major concern. 40 families living in tents in Batakare village do not have water. 2800 people are living in 522 tents in the Besian tent village. Initially, 10-15 families arrived per day. After the Kaghan road opened, the daily rate of arrivals has increased to 30-60 families. Solid waste management and scabies are the main challenges.

56. In Mansehra, identification of new camp-sites and development of camps is ongoing. Earmarked areas have the potential to accommodate over 50,000 people. UNHCR provide technical support to the army in Bassian, Gahri Habibullah, Hassa and Jabba. UNHCR will provide plastic sheeting and blankets to 'winterise" the camps. The main challenges are the insufficient quantities of stoves available and in the pipeline and the need for adequate sensitization campaign regarding use of stoves/heaters, to prevent fire hazards.

GENERAL INFORMATION

57. All detailed cluster information (meeting minutes, assessments, contact information etc.) is being posted on www.un.org.pk.

58. The latest information on projects and funding for the Flash Appeal, and for the emergency overall, can be found on the Financial Tracking Service (http://ocha.unog.ch/fts/reports/reportlist.asp?section=CE&record_ID=688).Further information on earthquake appeals and funding is available on ReliefWeb (http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/dbc.nsf/doc105?OpenForm&rc=3&emid=EQ-2005-000174-PAK).

59. Contact details of focal points for information on in-kind and cash contributions can be found at http://earthquake05.un.org.pk/

60. OCHA will revert with further information as it becomes available. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

Tel.: +41-22-917 12 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:

Ms. Merete Johansson, direct Tel. +41-22-9171694
Ms. Kirsten Gelsdorf, direct Tel. +41-22 917 1843
Ms. Rebecca Richards, direct Tel. +41-22 917 3183

Press contact:

(GVA) Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 2653
(N.Y.) Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. + 1-917 367 5126

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