OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Pakistan - Earthquake
27 November 2002


This report is based on information provided by the Office of the UN
Resident Coordinator in Pakistan, the International Federation of Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) as well as media reports.

I. Situation

1.  An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale jolted the Northern
Areas of Pakistan on Thursday 21 November 2002 at 2.32 a.m. local time
(21.32 hrs GMT, 20 November). The epicentre of the earthquake was 400 km
northeast of Peshawar. The earthquake was felt in Chilas, Astore and
Gilgit sub divisions of the Northern Areas. It was followed by a series of
over 50 aftershocks, below 4 on the Richter scale. As of today, the area
is still experiencing jolts.

2.  According to the most recent figures, 23 people, including 18 children
have died and over 100 people have been injured.  The four villages of
Turbling, Mushkin, Dashkin and Harcho, in Diamer District, located along
the Karakoram highway, which links Pakistan to China, are the most
severely affected. The earthquake also destroyed about 100 houses while
another 1,100 are said to be damaged, rendering about 7,000 people
homeless. The quake cut off roadways leading into the Astore Valley, the
worst-affected region. Three successive earthquakes had already shaken the
same area on 2 and 3 November 2002 killing 17 people, injuring 65 and
rendering 4,000 homeless. To date, it is estimated that 9,000 persons are
affected by the series of earthquakes (however, other information sources
indicate that as many as 15, 000 people have been affected). Furthermore,
hundreds of people whose homes collapsed during the quake and who have not
yet been provided with provisional shelters are spending the night under
the open sky by minus 5 degrees centigrade.


II. National Response

3.  The Government of Pakistan, assisted by the army, took the lead role
in the operations. Rescue teams have been deployed since 21 November from
Gilgit and Islamabad. Rescue efforts are being made by air because the
access road to the affected area is blocked. The army engineers are trying
to clear a path to the isolated villages. Army rescue teams have
successfully evacuated about 100 injured people by helicopter to the
nearest hospitals. As of 26 November, about 2,500 persons evacuated after
the first earthquake from areas deemed unsafe remain in a temporary camp,
established at Gonar Farms, about 50 km from Gilit. Because of the large
number of people affected by the latest earthquake, the government decided
not to move more people to camps but rather to provide on-the spot relief
through rescue teams. Therefore, army helicopters delivered tents and
blankets directly to the thousands left homeless.


III.  INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

4.  The Pakistan Red Crescent acted immediately and provided the
government with 150 tents, 2,000 blankets, 300 jumpers for males, 20 bales
of used clothing for females and 1,000 pairs of woollen socks. According
to the information provided by the Red Crescent in Pakistan, the goods
were all distributed to the victims of the earthquake by 25 November 2002.

5.  A joint team from the International NGOs, Islamic Relief and Oxfam was
in the area assessing relief distribution to victims of the first
earthquake when the quake hit.  According to the Programme Officer of
Islamic Relief, the organisation has increased its presence in the area
and set up 2 offices in Gilgit and Chilas to assist governmental efforts
in dealing with the crisis.

6.  On 25 November, the UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan called for a
UN Disaster Management Meeting in Islamabad to discuss the situation
arising from the earthquakes that rocked the Northern Areas twice in
November and to coordinate relief activities by various UN agencies as
well as to outline the course of action for the future. On 26 November
2002, a UN Inter-Agency Assessment Team with staff from WHO and UNDP,
under the leadership of WHO, was deployed to the affected area to assess
the actual situation as well as the needs so as to ensure that relief
assistance be provided in a coordinated manner. Members of the team from
UNICEF would be joining them on 27 November 2002, in the evening.

7.  The UN Resident Coordinator in Pakistan submitted a request for
funding to OCHA on 22 November 2002. OCHA is currently considering the
request and will follow-up accordingly.

8.  The Government of Pakistan has not requested international assistance.

9.  OCHA is in close contact with the Office of the UN Resident
Coordinator and will revert with further information as appropriate.

10.  This situation report, together with further information on ongoing
emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int


Telephone: +41-22-91712 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:
  Mr. Rudolf Müller / Ms. Héloïse Ruaudel
  Direct Tel. +41-22-917 3131 / 17 28 / 1769

Press contact:
  (GVA)  Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 2653
  (NYC)  Brian Grogan direct Tel. +1-212-963-1143


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