OCHA Situation Report No. 33
Pakistan - Earthquake
20 January 2006


The winter season continues to create miserable conditions for the 
affected population.  It is also testing the strength and resilience of 
the population as well as the capacity of the humanitarian community to 
deliver much needed relief assistance by helicopters and by road. The 
weather once again dominated operational concerns across all clusters. 
Several key roads were cut off by landslides and air assistance was 
grounded in the first three days of the reporting week (Sunday, Monday 
and Tuesday) so that much of the assistance could not be delivered. 
Helicopter operations resumed as soon as the weather conditions cleared 
late on Wednesday and a total of 25 helicopters are now flying again, 
delivering aid and deploying passengers to high altitude areas and lower 
areas. The response included the prompt distribution of food, tents and 
blankets. Mortality levels did not increase as a result of this 
situation but respiratory infections did, as temperatures dropped.

No major flooding in camps, collapse of tents and significant movements 
were reported as a result of the bad weather. This can be attributed 
mainly to the preparedness of the affected populations after the first 
major rains and snowstorms. The priorities of the humanitarian community 
remain: (i) keeping the survivors warm and dry (ii) providing 
winterizing tents and providing corrugated galvanized iron (CGI) sheets; 
and (iii) providing heating in family or communal tents, as in school 
tents and hospitals.

SITUATION OVERVIEW:

Humanitarian agencies continue to battle with the elements and strive to 
provide assistance to the affected populations despite the poor weather 
conditions. In Muzaffarabad town, 700-1000 families were distressed as a 
result of very bad weather, and 750 telephone calls were received by the 
recently established Rapid Response Committee (RRC). Having dealt with 
the effects of the second wave of bad weather, teams are seriously 
rethinking their response strategies from reactive to proactive in order 
to enable deliveries before the next onset of bad weather.

Bagh saw medium to minor-sized landslides leading to the closure of many 
roads. UNJLC and UNDSS continue to obtain daily road updates that are 
being circulated among the partners working in the district. Flooding in 
spontaneous camps remains a challenge, as 4 tents were reportedly washed 
away during one of the storms that raged for 4 days, albeit, there were 
no casualties or injuries.  Due to the bad weather, distribution of 
shelter and NFI kits as well as food was severely hampered, and the 
planned airlift operation (food) to Bhedi Union Council (UC), on the 
border with the LOC, was called off.

It is reasonably likely that the population in Bhedi UC who suffered 
from heavy snowfall and severe plummeting in temperatures will descend 
onto Namanpura camp, Bagh. A joint interagency assessment team will be 
dispatched to Bhedi when the airlift operations resume as matter of 
urgency. Muddy and wet conditions in both planned and spontaneous camps 
remain an ongoing challenge.

The Mansehra emergency shelter cluster has also established a monitoring 
system (see RRC in Muzaffarabad), which consists of an emergency phone 
line to inform key cluster participants in the event of deteriorating 
weather conditions. The projected/anticipated movement of people from 
high altitudes (estimated 60,000) due to the deteriorating weather 
conditions did not materialize. On the contrary, agencies and the PAKMIL 
have noted a 'trickle-up' effect, which may be attributed to the fact 
that significant shelter improvements have been made above 5,000ft. The 
fact that such shelters have withstood bad weather conditions to date 
may be an attributing factor.

Rainfall in Battagram restarted on 15 January and continued throughout 
most of the reporting period. There were, however, no reports of 
flooding in the camps this week. All major roads were closed but 
subsequently reopened on 19 January. Landslides on the Battagram-Besham 
and Tarkot-Bana roads were reported and a number of locations in the 
Allai valley remain cut off. No significant population movements were 
registered, but due to few new arrivals, Maira camp has now reached 
nearly 18,000 people.

In Mansehra district, the Khagan valley road NE of Balakot was declared 
inaccessible to cargo road transport following the bad weather that hit 
the region, and another bridge is out at Ghanol 15km NE of Balakot. This 
means that assistance can only reach this region by air.

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) has provided Norwegian Alpine 
Support teams to train approximately 1,000 UN and I/NNGO staff on how to 
prevent illness or fatal accidents in the mountains. Training has 
commenced in the Allai valley and will continue in other affected areas 
in due course.

The humanitarian community is continuing efforts to ensure that adequate 
heating is made available for the affected populations to avoid a second 
wave of deaths from the cold and harsh weather conditions this winter. 
Heating has been discussed at Islamabad level with agencies being 
confident that the ongoing procurement of the hardware can be 
distributed in time to help combat acute respiratory infection (ARI) 
related diseases. There is a serious concern over the potential of fires 
in tents.

The FRC and ERRA have created a transition team to begin the transition 
from relief to reconstruction. The FRC has requested an increased focus 
on urban-tented populations not in camps and is particularly concerned 
about city infrastructure, for example sewage systems. A rapid survey 
will be conducted within the next weeks to assess the overall situation.

CLUSTER UPDATES

Efforts continue to be under way to strengthen the cluster system with 
particular focus on how best to bridge the gap between the field and 
Islamabad, and to ensure that the relief reaches the populations in 
need. With the strengthening of inter-hub (Battagram-Mansehra planned 
meetings focusing on information sharing and joint planning) and UN-NGO 
liaison, the creases in coordination mechanisms look set to be ironed 
out.

EMERGENCY SHELTER

1. The shelter cluster is confident that the key needs for tents have 
been served and that focus should remain on CGI sheeting and on the 
upgrade of existing tents (with plastic sheeting, rope and appropriate 
clothing / bedding) rather than on whole scale distribution. This 
decision has however not stopped agencies from the decision to 
distribute winterised tents where deemed necessary. Distribution is 
ongoing in Bagh, whilst the distribution of CGI sheets to the Allai 
valley has been significantly disrupted because of the closure of the 
Tharkot - Bana road.

2. In Muzaffarabad, the municipality's 5 teams of 5 (with IOM and 
PAKMIL) distributed 2,069 tarpaulins, replaced 97 tents and handed out 
as many dry blankets and fresh food stocks to families who have suffered 
as a result of the bad weather.

3. A joint OCHA, UNJCL and IOM rapid assessment team to Allai valley 
identified gaps in shelter coverage and have proposed the deployment of 
the High Altitude Teams (HATs) to provide monitoring of distribution and 
delivery of assistance.

CAMP MANAGEMENT

1. To prevent campfires and, at the same time, ensure that heating is 
provided, major distribution of stoves and fire extinguishers has taken 
place. In Muzaffarabad area, UNHCR distributed 35 sets of fire fighting 
equipment to 12 camps (1,400 families) and a further 2,800 kerosene 
stoves and 2,800 kerosene jerry cans. In Thori Park, the PAKMIL 
installed 5 UNHCR supplied fire fighting points, plus stoves and jerry 
cans for the benefit of 300 families. In Chatter Klass (inside 
Muzaffarabad town), 85 families received 85 UNHCR stoves and 85 jerry 
cans. The fire fighting equipment was donated and installed by INTERLOP.

2. UNICEF donated 120 large tents to the camp management cluster for the 
community-heating program.

3. There are currently 59 families (331 individuals) in the first 
planned Namanpura camp in Bagh. There are also 27 spontaneous camps 
(1,843 families/ 9,600 individuals).

4. UNHCR/other partners are increasingly faced with concerns of the 
potential premature closures of military-run camps by 31 March 2006 as 
announced by the PAKMIL. On 12 January, PAKMIL announced its intention 
to relocate people from Banian camp and eventually close the camp. 61 of 
105 families indicated that they would like to be moved to Maira camp 
due to the cold and harsh conditions in Banian camp. Concerns from 
agencies on the limited time frame and lack of forward planning were 
shared with the PAKMIL who indicated that this was an emergency and not 
a matter for further consultation and discussion.

5. Given existing conditions, it can be expected that a good number of 
camps (planned and spontaneous) will have to be maintained for another 6 
months.

WATER AND SANITATION

1. Preliminary results/findings from a recent survey on the water and 
sanitation conditions in the spontaneous camps in Bagh confirm the need 
for improvements, particularly in terms of water purification and 
control, before the water table is increased by rains and/or thawing of 
snow in the mountains.

2. The issue of landowners refusing to allow water development 
activities on their land continues to plague the water and sanitation 
cluster. In Mang Bajri camp in Bagh, a plan to install 2.3 kilometres of 
pipes was stopped by landowners.

3. In Mansehra, 4,000 people have access to 166 latrines, in a total of 
eleven tented villages and camps - planned and spontaneous.

4. Access to safe drinking water: 21,000 people in Bagh; 10,000 people 
in Dhir Kot; 220,000 in Muzaffarabad and Hattian; 36,000 people in 
Batagram and 15,000 in Bisham. A total of 380,000 people have access to 
safe drinking water in the camps (95% in Muzaffarabad and 70% in 
Mansehra) and rural areas, which represents 47% of the 'Winter Plan' 
objectives (810,000). A total of 137,500 people have access to latrines 
and this represents 50% of the target of 'Winter Plan' 275,000 people.

FOOD AND NUTRITION

1. WFP reports that food has been distributed to 241,086 people so far, 
(first 14 days of January alone), out of its 995,000 ? 1 million 
caseload assigned by the GoP. This figure (241,086) does not include the 
110,000 children in tented schools receiving a supplementary ration of 
high-energy biscuits (HEB) and dates, and the 4,000 in tented hospitals 
receiving full rations.

2. 46,000 MT of GoP wheat contribution given to WFP on 6 January was 
found to be infested on 7 January, and consequently, a breakdown in the 
wheat pipeline may occur. WFP is trying to avoid this breakdown by 
borrowing wheat flour from Pakistani mills.

3. The Government has begun actual distribution of food in the Union 
Councils allocated to it (i.e. outside the 1 million assigned to WFP). 
Approximately 2,000 tons of wheat flavour, donated by Turkey, have been 
delivered.

HEALTH

1. The lack of female health workers continues to be a major concern as 
female patients are reluctant or refuse to be seen by males. The 
Ministry of Health is urgently looking for additional female staff. 
Chikoti and Chikari are amongst the most needy areas.

2. Australian Aid International (AAI) finalized the translation into 
Urdu of the community education materials on hypothermia. AAI 
constructed 189 IRAS (Improvised, Rapid, All-weather Shelter) units with 
the cooperation of the Pakistani Army in Haveli Tehsil and Bagh 
district. An additional 200 shelters are expected.

INGO activities

3. Mercy Corps is providing critical primary health care (PHC) services 
to earthquake-affected communities and outreach medical clinics in the 
Siran and Konch valleys of Mansehra district.

4. Merlin treats up to 200 patients daily in four basic health units 
(BHU) in Panjkot, Deolian, Serli Sachha and Chilehana in the Neelum 
Valley. These areas were seriously affected by the previous heavy 
snowfall, as 95% and 30% respectively of the communities' tents 
collapsed. Merlin also distributed 1,461 personal hygiene kits with 
accompanying health talks to women from the community.

5. MSF-Belgium has dispatched a mobile team to Namanpura camp in Bagh 
which will visit the camps every other day until the camp reaches its 
full capacity. The third phase of immunization (in camps) has been 
completed in 23 camps in Bagh, with 75-80% coverage.

EDUCATION

1. To date, 1,365 tents locally procured by UNICEF have been delivered 
to the various locations in the affected areas. An additional 6,500 
tents have been ordered from China and are expected to arrive by the end 
of January in order to ensure that all tents are in place by March. This 
ties in with the GoP's position (at least in Battagram) that no other 
means save for tents or the rehabilitation of damaged schools is 
allowed.

2. 1,277 school-in-a-box kits have arrived in Islamabad, and an 
additional 7,000 have been ordered from China.

3. A Transitional Structure subgroup has been formed in the Islamabad 
Education Cluster to explore possibilities of transitional school 
structures within the cluster.

PROTECTION

1. A total of 53 child-friendly spaces and 24 women-friendly 
spaces/community groups have been established in the Mansehra district, 
17 child-friendly spaces in Bagh and 20 child-friendly spaces and 19 
women-friendly spaces/community groups have been established in 
Muzaffarabad.

2. A two-day training for 70 child protection workers in Maidan Camp and 
Banian camp in Battagram was carried out on 3-4 January. UNICEF is 
monitoring 44 out of 46 campsites in Muzaffarabad and working to gain 
access to the remaining two. In these camps, the situation of 2,424 
vulnerable is being monitored.

3. A task force on human rights has been established within this cluster 
to deal with the main human rights issues in the earthquake response, 
namely, issues relating to accountability mechanisms, land and housing 
rights, and women and children rights.

LOGISTICS

1. 25 UNHAS helicopters are operational and flying during good weather. 
An additional two helicopters have arrived and will be operational as of 
21 January.

2. UNJLC has requested all clusters to provide adequate information on 
planned programs to enable UNJLC to better plan activities as well as to 
obtain information for the pipeline.

3. UNHAS has commenced under-slung load operations from Bagh with 4 
MI8s. The US Military has handed over all 350 sling nets to UNHAS who 
will now facilitate all such operations, including those of the US 
Chinooks.

4. The construction of a helipad in Chatterplain will allow bigger 
helicopters to operate and sling operations will be increased for loads 
up to 90MTs. With the disruptions due to the weather conditions, there 
is certainly a need for more sling operations in times of good weather.

WEATHER AND ACCESSIBILTY:

1. The amount of rain has increased the risk of landslides on several 
roads in and around Muzaffarabad. From a safety perspective, there is 
concern about the airport road in particular given the amount of 
humanitarian workers and daily labourers that go up and down the road. 
It is also a serious issue from an operational perspective. This road is 
a vital transport link for food and materials that are transported by 
truck to rub-halls at the airport and then are subsequently distributed 
to the valleys and elsewhere by UNHAS. At several levels, concern has 
been expressed to PAKMIL and it has been noted that the loss of use of 
this road would pose a significant constraint to the humanitarian 
operations. Resolution of this issue is pending.

Accessibility:

The majority of the main roads in the affected region were closed for at 
least the first half of the reporting week due to the bad weather. UNHAS 
grounded all helicopter flights for three days which prevented the 
delivery of up to 900MT of supplies and food.

The UN Country Team met with an Austrian geologist and landslide expert 
who spent two months surveying the earthquake damage. He estimates that 
main arterial roads will require several months beyond April to clear 
for 4x4 traffic only. Up to 5 years will be required to clear roads 
completely, to stabilize/reinforce slopes, and to repair bridges. He 
warned that further damage from landslides should be expected in 
March/April 2006 when the soil becomes waterlogged by snowmelt and 
rainfalls.

GENERAL INFORMATION

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

2. 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).

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

4. 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
  Mr. Guido Galli, direct Tel. +41-22-9173171

Press contact:
  GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 2653
  NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. + 1-917 367 5126


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