South Asia - Earthquake Fact Sheet #41, Fiscal Year (FY) 2006

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
Note: The last fact sheet was dated February 24, 2006.

BACKGROUND

Immediately following the magnitude 7.6 earthquake that struck Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan on October 8, 2005, USAID deployed a Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) to Pakistan. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake's epicenter was located near Muzaffarabad, the capital of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) in Pakistan, approximately 60 miles north-northeast of Islamabad. The USAID/DART arrived on October 10 and has been working with the Government of Pakistan (GOP) and local authorities, U.N. clusters, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to assess humanitarian needs, provide technical support, and assist with targeting and coordination of U.S. government (USG) assistance in conjunction with USAID/Pakistan. Ongoing humanitarian interventions in AJK and North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and extensive preparation for the onset of winter weather by relief organizations are minimizing the negative impact of snow and rainfall.

USG Humanitarian and Reconstruction Assistance Pledged(2): $510,000,000
USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance Committed to Pakistan: $60,691,552
Total USAID Humanitarian Assistance Committed to Pakistan: $69,972,752
USAID/OFDA Humanitarian Assistance Committed to India: $600,662
Total USG Humanitarian Assistance Committed to South Asia: $86,673,414

CURRENT SITUATION

To support earthquake-affected populations during the transitional phase of the relief operation, USAID is planning a multi-sectoral approach addressing communities' basic needs in order to facilitate returns and avoid a second wave of displacement next winter. USAID activities will be focused in Bagh Tehsil, AJK, and the Khagan and Siran valleys, in NWFP. To assist in creating sustainable communities, USAID is supporting transitional shelter, water and sanitation, food security, and livelihoods activities to address the multi-faceted needs of recovering communities.

According to the USAID/DART, in AJK, the priority issues facing the humanitarian community during the recovery phase include strengthening the capacity of the local government, the return of earthquake-affected populations to places of origin, and the return of affected populations currently living in Islamabad to the city of Muzaffarabad. Other priority issues include addressing shelter needs of the urban displaced population living in informal camps, addressing the needs of vulnerable populations, providing livelihood opportunities, and providing psychological and social support to those who are still traumatized by the earthquake.

According to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), while most of the basic emergency needs in formal camps have been met, the needs of earthquake-affected populations in informal camps have not been fully met. OCHA estimates that nearly 80 percent of the 120,000 affected people residing in temporary camps in AJK will return voluntarily to places of origin by late March and early April in time for the spring planting season, which begins in April.

According to the USAID/DART, among the earthquake-affected population in AJK are orphaned children, widows who are now heads of households, the elderly, and those who are handicapped as a result of injuries caused by the earthquake. This group includes approximately 5,000 people who will need support with housing, water and sanitation, food assistance, and income-generation activities. The Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and local authorities are discussing and attempting to identify resettlement sites for this population.

USG HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE

Pakistan

To date, USAID has provided nearly $70 million in humanitarian assistance to earthquake-affected communities in Pakistan. USAID identified shelter, relief supplies, logistics, health, water and sanitation, and livelihoods support as priority sectors for relief operations.

To date, USAID has provided nearly $6.4 million in emergency relief commodities, including transport costs, for earthquake-affected populations in Pakistan. USAID has completed 25 flights of emergency relief commodities to Pakistan. The flights delivered a total of 97,725 blankets, 1,570 winterized tents, 8,050 rolls of plastic sheeting for approximately 36,672 families, 15,000 water containers, 17 water bladders, 2 water purification units, 10 U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) emergency health kits, 20 concrete cutting saws, and 136 shelters donated by Alaska Shelters.

In response to the U.N. South Asia Earthquake Flash Appeal, USAID has provided nearly $24.9 million in funding to support transitional shelter programs, food, health, water and sanitation, humanitarian air service, logistical coordination, and the transport of supplies to affected populations and movement of those populations to safe areas.

On January 21, the USG signed a four-year $200 million grant agreement with the GOP to assist in the reconstruction of schools and hospitals destroyed by the earthquake and the rehabilitation of livelihoods and education and health care systems. The grant agreement is part of the overall U.S. commitment of $510 million pledged at the Donors Conference on Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Earthquake Affected Areas in Islamabad on November 19.

On October 27, President George W. Bush, together with five private-sector chief executive officers (CEOs) launched the South Asia Earthquake Relief Fund (SAERF) to spearhead private fundraising efforts for relief and reconstruction in the aftermath of the South Asia earthquake. To date, the SAERF has received more than $18 million in cash and pledges. The SAERF has allocated $4.5 million to five NGOs focused on relief efforts and will provide remaining funds for reconstruction efforts.

In addition to the provision of tarpaulin sheets, blankets, and winterized and non-winterized tents in support of the overall shelter strategy, USAID funded 9 NGO partners to provide shelter assistance to approximately 75,500 households.

USAID's Office of Food for Peace (FFP) has responded to the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) emergency and followon recovery operation for Pakistan with 7,270 metric tons (MT) of P.L. 480 Title II emergency food assistance, comprising 6,790 MT of vegetable oil and 480 MT of wheat soy blend. The total value of this contribution is nearly $9 million.

As of March 3, the U.S. Department of State's Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration (State/PRM) has contributed $4 million to UNHCR to support activities identified in the 2005 U.N. South Asia Earthquake Flash Appeal. Specific activities include the establishment and management of camps and spontaneous settlements for earthquakeaffected populations and the provision of essential relief supplies such as tents, blankets, and stoves to camp residents. State/PRM also has contributed $100,000 to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to conduct prevention and assistance activities for populations vulnerable to traffickers in the aftermath of the earthquake.

To date, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has provided 46,000 MT of wheat, valued at $12 million, to the GOP. This wheat is assisting food-insecure families lacking the financial means to purchase food.

On October 20, USAID and Procter & Gamble announced a $600,000 public-private alliance to provide safe drinking water for those affected by the earthquake. Through this partnership, USAID and Proctor & Gamble are supplying a point-of-use water purification product that significantly reduces diarrheal illnesses. Through the Global Development Alliance (GDA), USAID contributed $300,000 toward this partnership, which provides safe drinking water to more than 50,000 households for 3 months.

As of March 2, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) had flown 4,853 helicopter missions, delivered 13,582 short tons of humanitarian relief supplies, evacuated 3,750 casualties, and transported 16,442 humanitarian relief workers and other passengers. The 212th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) was turned over to the Pakistan Military 67th Medical Battalion on February 16th and the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force medical element has redeployed. To date, DOD has obligated $106.6 million for relief operations.

India

On October 10, U.S. Ambassador to India David C. Mulford issued a disaster declaration due to the effects of the October 8 earthquake in northern India. From October 11 to 17, a USAID/OFDA Regional Advisor traveled to India to assist USAID/India with damage and needs assessments and make recommendations for USG assistance. The USAID/OFDA Regional Advisor and a representative from USAID/India conducted a post-earthquake visit to Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir on November 15 and 16 in order to monitor program progress of USAID/OFDA-funded partners.

USAID has provided more than $600,000 to relief organizations in India for emergency relief supplies and shelter. The Government of India did not request international assistance.

Footnotes

(1) These figures are the best available estimates.

(2) This pledge includes $300 million in economic assistance from the USG, $110 million in U.S. military in-kind support for relief operations, and at least $100 million anticipated from U.S. private contributions.

MAP: South Asia earthquake 2005: USAID programs (as of 3 Mar 2006)

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