OCHA Situation Report No. 1 Pakistan - Drought 28 April 2000
General Drought Situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan 1. Southern Afghanistan and southwestern Pakistan are experiencing a drought emergency. The general drought situation in each country is as follows: 2. In southern Afghanistan, insufficient rainfall in 1998/1999 has been followed by months of unusually dry weather with far below average precipitation levels. It is expected that rural and urban areas will suffer from a serious lack of drinking water, increased outbreaks of disease, heavy loss of livestock, and crop failure in the part of the country which is usually the most fertile. A UN/NGO task force was formed in mid-March to assess the impact of the drought and plan a response to the unfolding disaster. The UN and some NGOs are in the process of ascertaining the extent of drought victims' actual needs and putting together projects based on ongoing and planned assessments. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is in close touch with the Office of the United Nations Coordinator for Afghanistan. OCHA has issued one situation report so far, on 5 April. More detailed information is available on the Website of the Office of the United Nations Coordinator for Afghanistan: http://www. pcpafg.org 3. In southwestern Pakistan, the UN system in-country has fielded a needs assessment mission to the worst affected areas. The present situation report is based on the findings of the mission, and therefore focuses on the drought situation in Pakistan. The UN systems in Afghanistan and Pakistan are considering mounting a coordinated assessment of the drought in both countries. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is also mobilizing a prototype Field Assessment Coordination Team to undertake thorough needs assessments in the affected areas. Situation in Pakistan 4. Balochistan province in southwestern Pakistan is undergoing a serious drought which is the cumulative effect of three years of unsatisfactory monsoons. The poor living conditions caused by the drought have plummeted further due to the high rate of livestock mortality. Animal husbandry is the chief source of livelihood in the region. In addition, water resources are becoming more and more scarce. With the approach of summer, water-borne diseases are expected to multiply and it is feared that the drought conditions will further deteriorate. 5. One of the worst affected areas is sub-tehsil (county) Aranji in the district of Khuzdar. Here a sparse population of around 28,500 people inhabit an inhospitable mountain area stretching over 2,700 square kilometres to the south of Wadh. Much of the population of Aranji lives in single room houses and beneath the poverty line, since there is little agriculture, economic opportunities are few and access to food is difficult in an area so lacking in roads and transportation facilities. The drought situation has placed great strain on water resources and livestock health, leading to a reduction in prices of livestock and diminishing the purchasing power of the population. The districts of Lasbela, Kharan, Chagai, Loralai and Zhob are reportedly in an equally dire situation. According to the estimate of the IFRC, over 100,000 of the province's total population of 6.5 million have been affected by the drought. National Response 6. The Government of Pakistan has released a grant of PKR 5 million (USD 97,600) to meet emergency needs in affected areas. 7. The provincial government of Balochistan has intervened in Aranji tehsil by providing emergency food relief supplies, and making medicine for humans but also for livestock available. It has gone some way towards rehabilitating tracks to improve access to the affected areas. Currently the government's priorities are to revamp the road network and to improve veterinary services to save livestock. In recognition of the fact that the drought is spreading to other parts of the province, the Government has also appointed a high level committee to take preventive measures, particularly in the livestock sector, and to engage UN agencies, NGOs and the private sector to support government relief efforts. International Response 8. No appeal for international assistance has been received by OCHA to date. However, in response to the Government of Pakistan's request on 11 March 2000 that WFP assess the drought situation and assist the Government in its effort to provide food and water and to protect people's health in the Aranji tehsil of the Khuzdar district of Balochistan province, the UN Disaster Management Team (UNDMT) in Islamabad fielded a joint needs assessment mission comprising representatives from WFP, FAO and UNICEF from 21 to 27 March. The mission focused mainly on the areas of food insecurity, health, water and livestock. 9. On the basis of the findings of the needs mission, the UNDMT decided to support the government of Balochistan with the provision of 32 MT vegetable oil, 150,000 water purification tablets and 20,000 sachets of Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) for about 6,000 families of drought victims in Khuzdar and Lasbela districts. 10. Certain international NGOs, including IFRC and Oxfam, have also initiated assessment and emergency programmes in the drought stricken areas. 11. OCHA is in close contact with the UN Resident Coordinator in Islamabad and will revert with further information if the situation warrants it. 12. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int Telephone: +41-22-917 1234 Fax: +41-22-917 00 23 In case of emergency Tel. +41-22-917 20 10 only: Desk Officers: Ms. S. Metzner-Strack / Mr. R. Mueller / Mr. S. Matsuka direct Tel. +41-22-917 21 44 / 31 31 / 40 34 Press contact: Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53 distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -