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United Nations Disaster Assessment and Co-ordination (UNDAC) Team Bhuj Final Report

Attachments


UNDAC TEAM:
Edward Pearn (UK, Team Leader)
Sólveig Thorvaldsdóttir (Iceland)
Joe Barr (Australia)
Sébastien Sigouin (Canada)
Steffen Schmidt (Denmark)
Simo Wecksten (Finland)
Jesper Lund (OCHA)
Joseph Reiterer (OCHA)

Introduction

This document has been prepared by the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Co-ordination (UNDAC) Team in Bhuj, Gujarat. The UNDAC Team was dispatched to the earthquake-affected area by the Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on 27 January 2001, in consultation with the Government of India, to assist the Indian authorities and the UN in-country system with the co-ordination of international assistance. To this end, the UNDAC Team established an On-Site Operations Co-ordination Centre (OSOCC) in Bhuj, to facilitate co-ordination of international relief activities.

This report presents a general picture of the impact of the major earthquake that occurred in Gujarat on 26 January 2001. It is considered to have been the second largest recorded earthquake in India, the largest being in 1737 in Calcutta when 300,000 people died. The report also provides an overview of the operations of the UNDAC Team, national and international relief activities, co-ordination and assessment of the needs of the affected population. It is based on information received from UN agencies, NGOs, Government and other sources as of 17 February. Some updated information received from the UNDMT on 20 February has also been incorporated. However, the magnitude of this event is so great that it will take considerable time to develop a complete and comprehensive picture of its impact, the resultant needs of the affected population and the response activities undertaken by local, national and international actors. Therefore this report cannot considered to be comprehensive.

This Final Report builds on all the information obtained in the affected area and from Gujarat State Government, international and national NGOs and UN agencies.

Maps

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I. SITUATION

1. The State of Gujarat.

Gujarat is the most westerly state in India. It has borders with Pakistan and the Arabian Sea as well as the Indian States of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. The State Capital is in Gandhinagar, north of the major city of Ahmedabad. The total population of Gujarat is approximately 41 million of which 28 million (65%) live in rural areas. For administrative purposes Gujarat is divided into 25 districts. Despite being the tenth most populous Indian state, it is considered one of the richer states with a high level of industrialisation. Nevertheless, there are many districts in which a high proportion of the population live below the poverty line and are food insecure.

The state experienced a super cyclone in 1998 and has been suffering from a severe drought for the last two years, which is expected to continue through 2001. This has reduced agricultural production as much as 30% and the livelihoods of many rural communities have been affected. Agriculture in Gujarat is primarily rain-fed. The damage caused by the earthquake to the most severely affected districts, and the impact of two consecutive years of drought on the same districts will further aggravate the vulnerable groups of the population, in particular women and children.

According to the 1998-9 NFHS II census, 45% of children under 3 years were underweight and 16% wasted. Among children 6 - 35 months 75% are anaemic and 46% of ever married women have iron deficiency anaemia.

The weather in January and early February is dry but nights are cold with temperatures dropping close to 0oC although they rise above 20oC during the day. Temperatures start to increase from February onward. Strong breezes arise periodically, spreading the dust that has been increased by the long drought. It is generally expected that the weather will remain dry until about the end of June when the southwest monsoon sets in.

2. Impact of the Disaster

At 8.46 am local time (3.16 am UTC) on the 26 January 2001, India's Republic Day, a major earthquake, currently assessed as having a magnitude of 7.7 on the Richter Scale occurred in Gujarat. The epicentre lay north east of the city of Bhuj and it was felt as far away as Delhi and Bombay. The initial tremor lasted about 2 minutes and major destruction was caused. Aftershocks have continued and although these have only caused significant damage in a few locations, they continue to alarm the population throughout the affected area. Many people will still not sleep inside their houses although they may they use them during the day. An astrologer's prediction that another major earthquake would occur early in February caused a heightened fear amongst the population.

A total of 21 districts were affected. Kutch experienced the greatest impact but significant casualties and damage were experienced in Ahmedabad, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Patan. The official death toll to 16 February is 18,602 but this is expected to increase as more bodies are extracted from the rubble. The total number of deaths may never be known as official figures are based on family registrations of deaths and some families have nobody left to request the registration. It is estimated that up to 30,000 deaths may have occurred. More than 165,529 people are reported injured, although, again, the total number will probably never be known as in the early stages of the disaster the priority was to provide medical assistance and there was no time to count the injured.

The scale of damage is still being assessed. Currently it is estimated that some 332,610 houses have been destroyed and 751,086 damaged although these figures are still being refined. In some villages and towns, particularly close to the triangle bounded by Bhuj, Anjar and Bhachau, more than 90% of buildings were completely destroyed while for up to 60 km outside that triangle the majority of buildings were destroyed and most of the remainder suffered significant damage. Outside this area, the damage is lower and varies according to the local geology, construction methods and building standards. Buildings collapsed as far away as Ahmedabad some 275 km from the epicenter. In some areas buildings close to the road have survived but those away from the road have collapsed, the suggested explanation being that those away from roads rely on mud mortar and rarely use cement in construction.

There were significant effects on infrastructure with public facilities, including a number of hospitals and schools as well as electric power and water systems, bridges and roads, being destroyed or damaged. Repairs and rubble removal were started quickly and the majority of the road damage was quickly repaired to provide access for relief purposes. Repairs to other utilities were also given priority.

The loss of employment opportunities, due in large part to destroyed infrastructure and damage to industrial establishment, will directly impact the purchasing power of the affected population. In addition, hundreds of thousands of people have lost all or most of their personal assets, including homes, and a large part of their incomes will have to be dedicated to replacing them.

More comprehensive information on the impact of the disaster in the affected districts is given below.

Earthquake Impact

Affected Districts - Gujarat State
(Source: http://gujaratindia.co.districtwise.html accessed 17 February 2001, Indian Government Krishi Control Room Report updated to 16 February 2001,)

District
Population
Affected Villages
Affected Population
Deaths
Injured
Houses destroyed
Houses Damaged
Cattle Dead
Kutch
1,262,507
949
1,262,507
17,030
136048
207,148
147,861
19,470
Ahmedabad
4,687,491
392
3,894,000
750
4,040
1,768
69,530
20
Rajkot
2,514,122
686
1,594,000
422
11,951
43,702
119,762
171
Jamnagar
1,563,558
685
1,563,000
119
4,930
26,642
107,161
549
Surendranagar
1,208,872
661
1,154,000
112
2,909
29,556
180,358
121
Surat
3,397,900
94
397,989
46
190
32
1,222
1
Patan
935,203
349
664,000
34
1,695
15,765
38,891
15
Banaskantha
2,013,519
452
719,000
32
2,770
1,841
8076
162
Navsarai
1,085,692
110
87,783
17
52
98
477
1
Porbandar
376,113
157
376,113
9
90
2,767
17,738
8
Bharuch
1,148,052
248
460,000
9
44
994
7,153
76
Junagadh
2,018,446
554
597,787
8
89
423
11,630
3
Gandhinagar
1,026728
210
35,000
8
241
3
5,536
2
Bhavnagar
2,060315
535
445,226
4
45
1,216
22,781
4
Vadodara
3,039,127
85
186,092
1
270
18
158
1
Anand
1,647,759
124
4,687
1
20
33
804
6
Mehsana
1,648,251
611
1,648,251
56
18
1,560
1
Sabarkantha
1,761,086
68
128,000
56
1
84
1
Kheda
1,793,138
350
35,121
28
74
1,184
4
Amreli
1,484,300
273
599,000
5
510
8,963
2
Valsad
1,087,680
108
5,985
1
72
TOTAL
37,759,859
7,701
15,857,541
18,602
165,529
332,610
751,001
20,618

Damage to Utilities and Transport Systems

The earthquake caused significant damage to utilities and transport systems. The following summary indicates the scale of the damage:

Resource Details
Railways Damage to track between Viramgam to Gandhidam; Gandhidam, to Bhuj; Viramgam to Okha; and Palanpur to Gandhidam.
Heavy damage to various station buildings, station cabins, bridges, residential quarters and signalling systems. Rail links as far as Bhuj have been restored
Roads 650 kms of national highways damaged, 100 kms severely. National highways are now traffic-worthy
Bridges Many minor and major bridges damaged including the Syurajbari bridge at Bachau. Most main road bridges have been repaired and capable of accepting limited weight traffic.
Ports Berths 1-5 at Kandla Port suffered major structural damage
Telecommunications 147 exchanges, 82,000 lines and optical fibre systems damaged. All exchanges and at least 4,000 lines have been restored.
Power 45 sub-stations and power supply to 50% of feeders in Kutch damaged. (Power supply to 9 towns & 925 villages affected. All substations and 225 feeders have been restored and there is now power to all villages in Kutch.
Water Water supply to 18 towns and 1,340 villages damaged or destroyed. Piped water restored to 9 towns and 860 villages. Tanker deliveries to 9 towns and 480 villages. Tube wells are gradually being restored.
Fuel Jamnagar refinery shutdown 26 Jan by power failure. Crude oil and product pipelines were shut down for checking. Crude oil pipeline for 1 day, Product pipelines for 9 days. Availability of product not affected as alternative arrangements were made.
Schools Kutch District had 1359 primary schools with 5,168 schoolrooms. Of these, 992 schools and 4,179 classrooms were destroyed. There were 38 secondary schools of which 6 were destroyed, 14 suffered heavy damage and 12 were partially damaged. Of 128 non-Government schools, 9 were destroyed, 11 suffered heavy damage and 99 were partially damaged.
Child development centres (Angawadi) 1,774 destroyed (UNICEF information)

Financial Costs

(1 Crore = 10 million)
(Indian Government Krishi Control Room Report updated to 16 February 2001)

Personal Property
Rs 387 crore
USD 83,911,535
Household Property
Rs 11,195 crore
USD 2,427,363,399
Public Utilities
Rs 600 crore
USD 130,095,403
Public Infrastructure & Utilities
1,080 crore
USD 234,171,725
Industrial establishment
5,000 crore
USD 1,084,128,360
Commercial establishment
3,000 crore
USD 650,477,016
TOTAL
21,262 crore
USD 4,610,147,441

II. THE RESPONSE

3. The National Response

Immediately the disaster was reported, the Government of India deployed the Defence Services to provide assistance to the affected area. The Indian Air Force Base at Bhuj suffered damage and some casualties but was operational and became the airhead for the relief operation in the worst affected region. The airport at Ahmedabad suffered minimal damage and was able to continue normal operations, providing a second focal point for the delivery of the initial national response.

The Ministry of Agriculture is responsible for relief operations at national level and quickly activated a National Disaster Management Control Room in the Department of Agriculture and Co-operation in Delhi.

The response by the Defence Services involved 22,500 troops, 32 transport aircraft, 19 helicopters, a number of naval ships and a wide variety of equipment and stores. 45 companies of paramilitary forces were also deployed on rescue and relief tasks.

In addition to the Defence Services response, many other government resources were deployed. These included fire fighters and rescue workers with hydraulic cutters, specialised rescue and other equipment; doctors and other medical professionals from Delhi and many other parts of the country; power engineers; communications staff and railway repair teams. These people were supported by equipment that included heavy machinery for clearing rubble and damaged houses, railway water tank wagons, water tankers, galvanised iron sheeting, trucks, medical relief trains. Truck and trainloads of medical supplies, food, blankets and immediate shelter supplies moved early in the operation and further supplies have been sent as assessments have identified needs more precisely.

Other Indian states responded generously to the disaster. Assistance included cash, medical personnel and supplies, communications teams, general relief workers, shelter supplies, food, clothing, heavy machinery, transport, domestic supplies and reconstruction materials. Some states have now 'adopted' affected areas and undertaken to provide support to meet their needs.

4. The State Response

Because the earthquake affected the state capital, Gandhinagar, and the main city, Ahmedabad, response began slowly. Many key officials were affected, having suffered either casualties in their families or damage to their property. In spite of this, the State government mechanisms were activated quickly and senior officials dispatched to the affected area. Within 48 hours an extensive response co-ordination mechanism began operating. A State Control Room was established in Gandhinagar to coordinate response activities, with an External Aid Co-ordination Cell in Ahmedabad. A Chief Relief Coordinator was appointed to coordinate relief activities from within the worst affected area. His office was located at Bhuj in Kutch District.

The Gujarat Government has continued to deploy resources and to refine its co-ordination structure and is now extending its activities into the rehabilitation and reconstruction phase by presenting the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Program that is discussed later in this report.

The first State Government response was in the Ahmedabad area where 58 buildings collapsed and a further 29 were so seriously damaged that they had to be demolished. As news of the extent of the disaster emerged, further resources were deployed into the Districts of Kutch, Patan, Jamnagar, Surendranagar and Rajkot. Initially the deployed resources were medical and search and rescue teams. A second priority was the deployment of resources to clear roads and demolish dangerous buildings, restore electricity and water supplies supplemented by tankers to distribute water. Later, equipment was deployed to demolish buildings, deliver relief supplies and support the restoration of normal life.

Immediately after the earthquake, over 690 police officers, 25 columns, 2 engineering regiments and various other medical teams, battalions and companies were deployed to Bhuj to take part in rescue and relief efforts. Other personnel were deployed into the rest of the affected districts. Eventually some 3,000 Police, 2,653 Home Guards and large numbers of para-military and administrative personnel were deployed. Heavy machinery and vehicles were also transferred from the least affected districts to assist with clearing roads and destroyed houses, carrying supplies and water

5. Local Response

Spontaneous response was rapid. Survivors of the tremor immediately began removing injured survivors from the rubble and searching for others believed buried. Work started to manually clear roads to enable the injured to be carried to the nearest medical facility. In Bhuj, the injured were taken to the local hospital but this had collapsed so they were laid out on a nearby sports ground. Local doctors rapidly organised themselves to provide first aid assistance after which the patients were taken to the military hospital. The latter was damaged but began operations from tents.

Local government response in the affected areas was significantly affected by the degree of damage experienced in the relevant district capital. Where the impact was serious, as in Bhuj, response co-ordination started slowly because the offices of the local Collector were partially destroyed and unsafe, records were lost and electricity unavailable. There were casualties among family members of many local officials, some of their homes were damaged and others destroyed. Nevertheless many officials returned to work almost immediately and worked, with whatever equipment could be recovered, to restore services. Management and administrative staff began work in the open at wooden tables, to coordinate relief activities and deal with the requests for help from many individual victims. The ground floor of the Collector's Office Block was quickly checked and made usable but demolition of the upper floors and surrounding buildings was still taking place on 18 February, adding noise and dust to the difficult working conditions.

As more officials have returned to work and officials from State level have arrived co-ordination has continued to improve. Daily meetings of official are held to discuss priorities and the availability of resources to meet them.

Immediately after the disaster UNDMT members recognised the need to help the local administration to co-ordinate the relief supplies being flown in by international flights landing every hour at Bhuj air Base. A three-member team from UNDMT was made available for the purpose to the Deputy Collector (Bhuj) who was co-ordinating relief supplies on arrival.

6. International Response

The international response can be divided into two phases: the Search and Rescue (SAR) Phase and the Relief Phase.

SAR Phase

The Search and Rescue Phase began at 2300 on 27 January when the Swiss Search and Rescue Team arrived by air, closely followed by teams from the United Kingdom, Russia and Turkey. Teams continued to arrive until 2 February by which time 26 teams had entered Gujarat. The first teams began to depart on 1 February and by 16 February almost all had departed. As there was no expectation that more survivors would be recovered, the remaining teams were employed on more general relief tasks, some helping with body recovery, others with debris clearance, relief distribution and medical support as well as providing training to local teams. A list of search and rescue and medical teams registered with the On-Site Operations Co-ordination Centre (OSOCC) is attached in Annex H.

Relief Phase

Relief teams and supplies began to arrive on 28 January. Initially the relief was predominantly medical supplies or medical teams but increasingly other supplies arrived. By 10 February, relief had arrived from 38 countries as well as United Nations agencies and many international NGOs. At the time of this report, the OSOCC has registered the presence of over 245 organisations and agencies, including at least 99 international NGOs, 55 national NGOs, 20 donor government teams, 10 UN and intergovernmental organisations and Red Cross representatives from 10 countries.

The international media has been prominent in the affected area and a number of representatives have visited the UNDAC Team in the OSOCC.

The following Annexes to this report provide more detailed information on the international response to this disaster:

Annex A: Intergovernmental Organizations

Annex B: Donor Governments

Annex C: NGOs and INGOs and the Red Cross Movement

Annex D: Relief material received from foreign countries by air to 10 Feb (since maintained by Government)

Annex E: A preliminary assessment of damages to villages in the areas of Anjar, Bhuj and Bachau. The local NGO, Abhiyan, is developing this document on behalf of the Government.

Annex G: Relief Materials Distribution Summary as of 15 February.

Annex H: Search and Rescue and Medical Teams Registered. (see attachment below)

The UNDAC Team. A five person United Nations Disaster Assessment and Co-ordination (UNDAC) Team with members from the United Kingdom, Finland, Iceland, Australia and OCHA was deployed to India soon after the earthquake at the request of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Delhi, and arrived in Ahmedabad on the morning of 29 January. The members of the team worked, in collaboration with UNDMT members, primarily in support of Indian authorities' efforts in Ahmedabad and Bhuj to assess relief needs and coordinate international assistance, including urban search and rescue teams. This support role was critical in establishing good working relationships with senior authorities and developing the grounds for the international response. The team also carried out field assessments from its base in Bhuj.

A sixth member of the team was deployed from Denmark to Delhi from 2 February to provide liaison with the UNDMT. Members from Canada and OCHA replaced the original members from Finland and OCHA on 9 February.

III. CO-OPERATION AND CO-ORDINATION

7. National/International Co-operation and Co-ordination

Initially the UNDAC Team was split into two sub-teams located in Ahmedabad, close to the State capital, and Bhuj, the capital of the worst affected area. Initially the Team leader remained in Ahmedabad.

The Ahmedabad sub-team established a communications/liaison office in the Taj Residency Ummed, close to the airport, which became a combined UN liaison cell with representatives of WHO, UNDP, UNICEF and UNDAC. These organisations have continued to work, with other members of the UNDMT, in both Ahmedabad and Bhuj throughout the operations, which complemented the UNICEF office in Gandhinagar with 20 staff members and an ongoing program of cooperation with state government in areas of Water/Sanitation, Health and Education.

UNDMT, India members greatly facilitated the UNDAC Team's liaison with the State officials - especially, the Secretary of Revenue, the Additional Relief Co-ordinator and the staff at the State Control Room - and assisted UNDAC to obtain the official letter facilitating its assessments in Kutch. These meetings also served to establish a channel of communication essential for an effective co-ordination mechanism.

The Ahmedabad sub-team had several meetings with the staff of the Government Control Room, including the Chief Administrator, with international teams, NGOs, donor representatives and communications representatives. The first formal co-ordination meeting was convened by DFID on 28 January (about 10 NGOs participated) and the second by UNICEF on the 31 January (about 35 local and international NGOs participated). As a result of this meeting, sectoral committees were established covering Health, Shelter, Water and Sanitation, and Relief and Logistics. Later in the operation, Children and Women were made sectoral issues.

The Bhuj sub-team, which included a representative of WHO, began carrying out assessments in the worst affected areas and making contact with international agencies on 29 January. An OSOCC was established in the compound of the office of the District Collector and Chief Magistrate on 2 February January. This compound had been selected to be the headquarters of the Gujarat State Government's Chief Relief Coordinator. The Team in Ahmedabad later reinforced the sub-team in Bhuj. A detailed schedule of UNDAC Team members' activities is attached in Annex F.

The UNDMT representatives in Bhuj provided input for UNDAC Situation Reports, sharing assessment reports as well as information secured from the Collectorate.

Location of the OSOCC within the Collector's Compound greatly assisted in the development of a close working relationship between the Chief Relief Coordinator, the Collector and the UNDAC Team. This in turn facilitated a continuous exchange of information. The OSOCC became the focal point for international co-ordination and for information sharing for both government officials and NGOs. It is expected to remain as the focal point after the UNDAC Team departs.

The site of the OSOCC is also close to the site where the majority of the Search and Rescue Teams were camped. The UNDAC Team assisted authorities by initiating co-ordination of the search and rescue operations, by establishing contact with the majority of teams, conducting daily co-ordination and information sharing meetings and facilitating travel and other support.

In the interests of improving information sharing and co-ordination, the UNDAC Team initiated daily meetings between international agencies. The District Collector regularly joined the meetings. At the first meeting, sectoral sub-committees were established. The following sectoral committees were established and continue to meet regularly with UNDP staff now replacing the UNDAC Team in the various meetings:

Committee Chair
General Meetings UNDAC
Co-ordination Abhiyan + UNDAC
Health WHO
Shelter UNDP (originally Médecins sans Frontières)
Logistics WFP
Water & Sanitation Oxfam
Child Protection Save the Children Fund

Initially General Meetings were held daily but to reduce the number of meetings and allow agencies to spend more time on relief tasks, it was agreed that General Meetings would be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays whilst Sectoral Meetings could be scheduled on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

While this idea was initially held over, discussions were taking place before the UNDAC Team departed about adding a Food Sector Group to this list. It is understood that this group has now been formed.

Co-operation between international and national NGOs has also been extensive. The government has encouraged partnerships between international and local NGOs so as to pool resources and expertise thus making a more meaningful approach to meeting overall disaster relief needs. Many of the international NGOs had existing relationships with Indian NGOs. Others formed partnerships as activities developed and this process was encouraged after the Chief Relief Coordinator appointed a local NGO, Kutch Navnirman Abhiyan (Abhiyan), to be coordinator of NGO activities. With the encouragement of the Chief Relief Coordinator and support from the UNDAC Team, Abhiyan soon developed good co-ordination arrangements.

Overall co-ordination of the relief operation is now in full swing. The co-ordination structure took time to develop but there is now commitment from all participants. The combination of sectoral and general meetings is ensuring a more meaningful exchange of information between the NGOs, government (including Defence Services) and the UN family.

WFP has launched a special operation to support the logistics capacity and coordination of the UN system response. A United Nations Joint Logistics Centre has been established with participation from UNICEF, Government relief officials, and other agencies. The UNJLC is located in Bhuj on the site previously occupied by the Search and Rescue Teams. The Swedish Rescue Services Agency (SRSA) through funds provided by the Government of Sweden have provided a base camp support module from which the UNJLC is operating.

The centre is providing logistics support for UN agencies, and will provide support as required to the State Government's relief effort, international donors responding to the earthquake and extends that support to international NGOs on request. The purpose of the centre is to act as an information platform for logistics information and coordination. Such aspects as price control for labour and transport is currently being coordinated by the UNJLC. The UNJLC is co-located with the main WFP response contingent and there has been mutual support between the UNJLC and the OSOCC.

In preparation for the departure of the UNDAC team on 19 February, UNDP gradually took over more and more responsibility for operating the OSOCC, coordinating the processes, managing information and chairing and attending meetings. A complete overview of the 4 databases developed by the UNDAC Team has been provided to the new OSOCC staff together with a suggested staffing and responsibility schedule. All further updates and work on the databases will be the responsibility of UNDP. In the last two days prior to its departure, the UNDAC team assumed a monitoring mode to complete the handover.

In Delhi, the UNDMT established a structure for the overall co-ordination of UN system activities:

Sectors
Focal Agency
Co-operating
UN Agencies
Co-ordination
UNDP
DMT-members
Health
WHO
UNICEF, UNFPA
Water and Sanitation
UNICEF
WHO
Education and Child Protection
UNICEF
ILO
Food and Nutrition
WFP
UNICEF, WHO, FAO
Shelter and Survival
UNDP
UNICEF, UNV
Livelihoods
UNDP
ILO, UNFPA, UNV, FAO
Logistics
WFP
UNDP, OCHA, UNICEF
Psycho-social counselling
UNICEF
UNFPA, WHO

IV. LIAISON

As a result of its pivotal role in co-ordination, the OSOCC rapidly became the main focal point in the affected area for liaison between international organisations and the UN Family, and between the Government (including the Defence Services) and the international community. It also became a focal point for initial contact with the international community for local officials, newly arrived organisations and agencies, NGOs, the media and even diplomatic delegations.

The OSOCC also served as focal point for visitors from the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, USAID, ECHO and other development and humanitarian agencies who also received briefings from local authorities on the situation and needs.

The UNDAC Team extended its activities outside the OSOCC by actively contacting national and international agencies and offices that are active in the relief operation. A database of agencies was developed and is updated daily. The database contains information on the activities and planned activities of agencies as well as contact details. Reports from this database, together with copies of other relevant information are distributed to the government, the UN Family, NGOs and other international agencies.

An additional UNDAC Team member was activated early in the operation to provide liaison between the UNDAC Team and the UN Disaster Management Team in Delhi, and direct assistance to the UN Resident Coordinator.

The UNDAC Team has been providing situation reports (SITREPs) to the UN Disaster Management Team in Delhi, which were copied only to OCHA in Geneva. These contained known, factual information on current developments and actions at national and international team level as well as the results of field assessments. The information from these reports was used in preparing Delhi and Geneva SITREPs to international donors.

The initial meetings arranged by UNDMT Bhuj team with the Joint Secretaries and senior member from Prime Minister's Office who are placed in-charge of relief co-ordination at Kutch proved helpful in understanding the government's priorities and requirements.

V. ASSESSMENT AND NEEDS

9. Assessment

The UNDAC/WHO/UNDP Team carried out over 15 field assessment missions covering many of the towns and villages in Kutch, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Surendranagar and Patan districts. Particular attention was paid to assessing the impact of the earthquake and the needs of the people in villages where there were contradictory or unconfirmed reports of the situation. Many UN agencies and NGOs also conducted assessments.

The first UNDAC assessment missions were programmed to obtain information from a representative selection of places throughout the affected area. The priority was the Kutch District but when all regions of that district had been visited, missions extended to Patan, Jamnagar and Rajcot Districts. The initial assessments having been completed, the priority changed and teams targeted their assessment activities on areas where problems were reported with the effective delivery of relief.

The information-sharing meetings convened by the OSOCC from its first day provided information that supplemented the assessment information. During these meetings the experience of NGOs and other agencies in particular sectors and locations could be compared and a better picture of the total impact prepared. The meetings also helped to confirm or rebut some of the rumours that developed from time to time as participants had often visited relevant places and could give first-hand information on the situation.

Information sharing with district and state authorities developed to become a daily event with details of impact and needs being provided by national authorities and collated information on international response activities being provide by the UNDAC Team.

Initially, information was very difficult to obtain and it was a great advantage to work as a combined assessment team with national members. It would be true to say that it was only after about ten days that the information barriers started to crumble. They existed partly because local authorities were unsure of the validity of their information and lacked resources to collect and collate it. Poor local communications networks also contributed to their difficulties.

10. Relief Needs

The UNDAC Team was conscious from the inception of the mission that the earthquake had occurred after a two-year drought period that shows no sign of ending. Accordingly the earthquake was a disaster occurring within a disaster and this could have a significant impact on immediate and continuing needs.

Although not in a position to give statistical detail from the earliest stage of its deployment, the UNDAC Team identified at a very early stage that there was an urgent need for shelter, water and sanitation, family emergency packs and technical advice and assistance for the reconstruction stage and beyond. These predictions have been borne out by information received from the Indian Government and other organisations working in the area.

The flow of international aid in response to the needs gathered pace in the second week after the disaster and has continued at an impressive rate. The UNDAC Team is concerned that after relief requirements are met, the longer term needs for more reconstruction materials and other measures to support recovery might not be so readily supported.

It is the UNDAC Team's opinion that the amount and type of aid being offered will need to be closely monitored to reduce the risk of overprovision and duplication of effort in some sectors or areas while other crucial needs might not be met.

From its databases UNDAC prepared a table outlining the current information on assistance provided by the main organisations in various villages. This table is attached in Annex G. Information continues to be collected.

11. Outstanding Needs

The following is a picture of needs that were noted in the various sectors, the ways in which many have been met and the assessed outstanding needs. These have been discussed with the Chief Relief Coordinator in Bhuj. It also contains information subsequently provided by UN Agencies.

Medical and Health. In the affected are, 300 Sub-Health Centres, 50 Primary Health Centres and 20 Community Health Centres were destroyed and many more suffered major damage. The immediate priorities in this sector were to deal with the injured, to prevent any outbreak of epidemics and to restore health centres and hospitals destroyed by the earthquake.

The priority medical needs were for medical staff, equipment and supplies. Local resources were activated immediately despite extensive damage to hospitals and health facilities and the death of at least 40 medical personnel. The Defence Services medical teams activated by the Indian Government supported by civilian medical teams from many parts of India were soon on the scene and began supplementing local resources. During the first three days after the earthquake these teams worked tirelessly to deal with large numbers of injuries, often in difficult conditions and with minimal support. A measure of the pace can be gauged by the performance of the military medical teams, working mainly under canvas. In the period from 26 January to 7 February they dealt with the following

Type
Bhuj Military Hospital
All Military Teams (including Bhuj)
Major Surgery
2,000
2,232
Minor Surgery
7,521
8,171
Plaster of Paris
2,737
3,220
X Rays
77
1,168

Many other operations were conducted and many patients treated by other hospitals and health posts. There are no detailed updated records of the total number of injured people treated. Due to the overwhelming number of injured people seeking care in remaining hospitals in the area, health authorities were not able to maintain these records in the first few days of the emergency. However, on 16 February, reports indicated that at least 165,529 people had received treatment. After operations were completed, care was provided for most patients but arrangements were made to evacuate the most serious cases to hospitals in other cities. Individual agencies concerned with health treatment of the injured are producing facts that will eventually be collated to give a more accurate indication of the people treated.

Indian medical resources continued to arrive until local authorities advised on 3 February that enough had been received to meet needs. Since that time they have only been meeting clearly identified local needs from government and other Indian resources.

International medical teams and supplies began arriving on 27 January and have continued to arrive. International hospital and major health centre facilities were provided by IFRC, France, Ukraine, Denmark, Israel and Japan while medical teams from a number of international NGOs are now operating. Some of these have departed, as there is no longer any need for more than a small amount of earthquake-related treatment. The IFRC hospital is staffed primarily by Red Cross Societies from Norway and Finland assisted by representatives of Red Cross Societies from many other nations.

As of 16 February, the IFRC health facilities in Anjar, Bhuj and Shukpar had treated more than 5,000 patients, performing more than 200 surgical operations. Authorities have asked that IFRC provide its facilities for up to three years. The Danish Emergency Medical Team in Gandhidam is providing orthopaedic resources and operating facilities for four nearby hospitals.

WHO and UNICEF have provided critical life-saving drugs and medicines, ORS, surgical items and other medical supplies. UNFPA is providing mobile health services in Kutch and Surendranagar districts to meet health needs in general and reproductive health needs in particular.

Disease Surveillance and Early Warning System for epidemics: WHO, in collaboration with the Government, is developing a comprehensive programme for disease surveillance in the worst affected areas of Gujarat, similar to the system established in the aftermath of the tropical cyclone in Orissa. Initially the focus areas are in Kutch. However, the intervention is intended to contribute to a sustainable system of surveillance.

In order to restore the health services in the affected areas, a network of emergency health centres including provision of tents/makeshift buildings and mobile units needs to be made operational by providing appropriate medical kits and equipment. . There is also an urgent need to restore primary health care services including immunisation and antenatal care of women.

Public health and health sector co-ordination: The restoration of public health services, particularly primary health care, access to maternity and emergency care and public health, are required as soon as possible. A WHO presence is needed to help ensure that public health care is given adequate attention in the period of time after the immediate relief and before the complete restoration of the health services in Ahmedabad and affected areas in Kutch. WHO, in collaboration with the Government and NGOs, will support this in the interim period. It also requires focus on mental health needs and psychological support in the aftermath of the disaster. Technical advice to state and district health authorities, international and local NGOs is required to help ensure that health sector assistance is in accordance with international and Indian national recommended standards. Expanded technical advisory capacity will be required from WHO to support health assessment in the post-disaster period in co-operation with the state health authorities and other UN agencies. WHO proposed that technical support be provided through one Primary health care expert, one Environmental health expert and one Health planner for restoration of health sector and co-ordination of the external assistance. One Health sector disaster mitigation specialist, one Medical officer and one Health coordinator who will work in close collaboration with the government in partnership with NGOs. Rehabilitation for patients who have had serious injuries will be an ongoing need.

Hospital and Health Centre Safety Assessment and Rehabilitation: Technical collaboration in the analysis of structural/non-structural safety of damaged health facilities, emergency rehabilitation of key facilities, and replacement of critical equipment and supplies are required.

UNICEF and WHO jointly initiated a measles and vitamin A campaign in the most affected areas of Kutch from 10 February to 16 February, reaching 35,000 children aged 9 months to 5 years of age. Similar campaigns were to be initiated in the districts of Surendranagar and Rajkot.

Psychosocial Counselling: A major earthquake has a significant psychosocial impact on the affected population, particularly on those who have suffered the loss of members of the family. The support services that could provide counselling and support have been disrupted and will take time to recover. The need to strengthen and supplement local staff in this field has been recognised by UNFPA and by IFRC, both of which are providing assistance. UNICEF is already working with the state government and NGOs to help ensure that teachers, health workers and others who deal directly with children had opportunities to heal their own wounds before trying to help others.

Sufficient general medical supplies are available, however, supplies and equipment related to the rehabilitation of the health sector are still required, as is continued psychological support for the victims.

Food and nutrition. The areas worst affected by the earthquake are in the food insecure and economically underprivileged northwestern region of the state. These are the same areas that have been suffering from two years of consecutive drought. This has serious implications on the food insecurity and nutritional levels for the poor rural households. Food supplies, distribution channels, and income generation opportunities have been affected. The existing social support systems, Fair Price Shops, Mid-day meals and the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS) that provide for the nutritional needs of the most vulnerable are barely operational.

Some food relief began to arrive from nearby districts and other Indian states very soon after the disaster. Food also came from Indian NGOs while better off citizens and newly organised community groups delivered more. Some of the latter groups, in their enthusiasm, delivered their aid spontaneously wherever they went, sometimes reportedly throwing supplies, including clothing and food, off vehicles as they passed. The reaction to this type of uncoordinated unplanned and indiscriminate distribution is believed to have been the inspiration for at least some of the reports of food riots

For the immediate term, the Government of Gujarat is distributing some 200,000 tons of cereal rations to the general population through the Public Distribution System (PDS). However, these free ration kits of some 60 kgs of basic foods have not reached all needy villages and households, and do not include food items to meet the special nutritional needs of young children and expectant and nursing mothers. The Government is keen to ensure that normal commercial activity is resumed and does not wish an excess of free food to affect this activity. Distribution of free food is already starting to reduce the number of buyers of food in the markets and shops. The Chief Relief Coordinator has set a final deadline for general food distribution, after which targeted distribution will be conducted.

The droughts have affected the availability and quality of foods, specifically kitchen gardens and cash crops. People now eat mainly wheat, rice and some dal. Foods rich in Vitamin A and iron such as vegetables, fruits and roots are missing from their diet, although some of these foods are starting to appear in markets. In order to address the problem of micronutrient deficiencies, a Vitamin A campaign had been planned by UNICEF prior to the earthquake and is now being organised in combination with measles vaccination. Further support, particularly with vitamin A and iron folic acid tablets (children ages 1 to 5 and pregnant women), is likely to be necessary.

The Government, while providing the general population with an adequate amount of cereal through the PDS, has requested WFP to address the nutritional needs of the most vulnerable through targeted interventions with appropriate nutritious foods.

A campaign to provide vitamin A to children from 6 months to 3 years in combination with the measles campaign is underway by UNICEF. Further support particularly for vitamin A for children 6 months to 5 years, and IFA tablets for children 6 months to 5 years, adolescent girls, and pregnant and lactating women are also needed.

The FAO Mission to the Gujarat earthquake area recommends urgent rehabilitation of the agriculture, animal husbandry and fisheries production processes, in order to restore food security in the affected areas.

Water and Sanitation: Gujarat has been suffering drought for the past two years and it is not expected to break in 2001. Even if the drought breaks, this is unlikely to occur before late June, which is the normal time that the monsoon sets in. As a result of the drought, drinking water was already in short supply when the earthquake occurred.

The earthquake damaged tube wells that supply much of the water in the region. It also cut power supplies to the pumps from these wells. The water authorities moved quickly and have been very active in restoring supplies where the damage was limited. In those areas where water could not be supplied normally, tanker distribution was initiated and water tanks with multi-tap systems have been positioned in many locations. The current arrangements appear to be meeting the needs of the affected population and continuous monitoring is taking place to ensure that any further needs are quickly identified.

A large percentage of the population of Gujarat is exposed to the dual emergency of drought and earthquake. UNICEF is supporting the government with hired truck-mounted water tankers to supply drinking water, diesel generator sets, water tanks, jerry cans, chlorine tablets, bleaching powder, lanterns and tents for campsites and sanitation units. Separately UNICEF is working to develop a drought mitigation plan. The inputs and interventions are overlapping and are being planned to facilitate easy transformation from earthquake relief to drought mitigation. UNDP has long been working with local partners such as Kutch Mahila Vikas Sanghthan (KMVS) and Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) on community based drought proofing proposals.

Measures to chlorinate water supplies were also initiated and WHO is monitoring water quality. One identified problem was the cleanliness of tankers distributing the water. This matter is now being addressed. Adequate supplies of chlorine and equipment appear to be available but a Water and Sanitation Sectoral Committee, chaired by Oxfam, is continuing to assess needs.

Drinking Water quality control and sanitation: Water and sanitation remain one of the key issues in prevention of outbreak of diseases and epidemics. It is of utmost importance that the water is adequately chlorinated, and that regular water quality testing is restored as soon as possible. The vast damages provide major challenges in restoration of water and sanitation. WHO has provided a sanitary engineer for supervision, training and management of all Water Quality Control activities and extra advisory capacity on environmental health for the initial six months after the earthquake. A number of NGOs are also involved in this activity and detailed needs are being identified by the Water and Sanitation Sector Committee and the Health Committee during their meetings in Bhuj.

Government authorities have contracted a commercial organisation to begin constructing trench latrines around Kutch to address this situation.

Specific requests are anticipated to fill any gaps identified in the water and sanitation sector, particularly once the rehabilitation and reconstruction phases have begun.

Shelter: Initially the Chief Relief Coordinator suggested that for planning purposes, a need for temporary accommodation for 250,000 families existed. Because of the low night temperatures in January and February he indicated that there was a need for immediate short-term shelter, preferably family tents. The figures for houses destroyed and damaged have increased but the national and international communities are making significant progress towards meeting the temporary shelter needs. Given that removal of rubble and reconstruction of permanent shelters in urban areas will take more time, authorities recommended that this population be provided with more durable tents while in rural areas, where reconstruction will be more rapid, tarpaulins could be used. Annex I summarises the amount of basic short-term shelter material received and expected to 15 February.

The Chief Relief Co-ordinator is developing a three-phase strategy to address the immediate, mid-term and long-term shelter and housing requirements. Whilst it will take a few months to finalise the long-term strategy, authorities are confident that they will be able to provide temporary shelter for all the population of the area within 3-4 weeks.

When they lost their homes most families also lost all their possessions. There was a need for provision of emergency family packs to provide at least basic living for each of the 250,000 families. These should include cooking utensils, water containers, crockery, cutlery (mainly spoons), candles and floor mats. International and national NGOs have started to provide these kits with UNICEF obtaining 50,000 kits for distribution.

Annex G shows the provision and destinations of some of the family kits

Remaining immediate shelter-related needs include:

  • Family and community tents
  • Plastic sheets
  • Tarpaulins
  • Blankets
  • Family kits
  • Sanitation facilities

The UNDMT in India has prepared and circulated a document entitled "The UN System Response to the Gujarat Earthquake: Immediate Needs and Action Plan", which details the UN family's ongoing and planned activities in response to the earthquake. The UN System Response to the Gujarat Earthquake: Immediate Needs and Action Plan can also be accessed on the website at www.un.org.in

VI. RECOVERY AND RECONSTRUCTION NEEDS

(this chapter is based on the recommendations made by the UNDAC team; the major part was developed by the UNDMT)

Recovery and reconstruction needs are better assessed by specialists in the relevant fields than by disaster response specialists. Nevertheless, the UNDAC Team suggests that medium and long-term reconstruction and recovery needs will be considerable.

In response to the need, the UN system is setting up a system of co-ordination to synergise donor and other responses in the Gujarat earthquake rehabilitation and recovery. A UNDMT coordination unit has been established in Bhuj working from the OSOCC. Another UNDMT support office has been set up in Ahmedabad and this complements the activities of the UNICEF State Office based in Gandhinagar - the administrative capital of the State. Smaller units will be established in the Talukas (sub-districts) of Kutch district. Outreach is being maximized through use of National UN Volunteers, strengthening of NGO networks & bolstering the coordinating capacity of Nehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS)

UN organisations are preparing mid to long-term recovery and rehabilitation schemes based on the Government of India and Government of Gujarat priorities.

The UNDAC Team, in discussion with other agencies, has identified the following sectoral needs:

Housing Construction and Repair

The planned Government housing policy will have a significant influence on such subjects as building standards for reconstruction. Rebuilding and repair of villages, towns and cities will require the commitment of a wide range of resources and take an extended period of time. Technical advice and assistance as well as material support are likely to be needed. Continuing commitment of UN agencies, bilateral donors and international and national NGOs may assist the Indian Government to meet the ongoing needs of the affected community.

The need for reconstruction and repair materials will increase. The State Government has announced a comprehensive Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Project. A preliminary overview of the project indicates that villages that have suffered more than 70% destruction, will be given the option of relocating. If they elect to do so they will be allocated land and subsidies. Many village people have asked to be relocated and the Government is planning on the basis of an average of 200 families and a population of 1000 for a standard community. The numbers of villages with more than 70% destruction are as follows:

District
Nos of villages
Kutch
172
Rajkot
25
Jamnagar
19
Surendranagar
13
Total
229

(Source: Government of Gujarat)

For those who wish to remain in their current villages or for villages affected by less than 70%, the project will determine specific subsidies for reconstruction, ranging from Rs 2,000 to Rs 90,000 depending on the wealth of the family, value and level of destruction of their house.

UNDAC Team foresees a need for assistance in the form of:

Galvanised iron and Asbestos sheeting*
Nails and fixings*
Hand tools*
Building timber*

* Amount to be defined after a developing shelter policy has been finalised.

Poorer communities may also need funding for the purchase of cement (available from sources within Gujarat).

Technical assistance with the identification of practical earthquake strengthening measures suitable for incorporation in traditional houses and support for projects that would test the measures and encourage their adoption may also be required.

An owner /community driven reconstruction policy will be supported to ensure a decentralised planning process. Communities would be involved in the planning, reconstruction and monitoring process. The community driven process would include consultation with affected people on site location, housing and settlement layout, adequate provision for cattle and other animals, storage of grains, including roof rain water harvesting structures, etc.

Latur earthquake experience shows that construction quality and design needs to be monitored so that the process retains the social and cultural character of that local area. The involvement of Gram Panchayats will go a long way in community problem solving - to ensure availability of masons, labour, water, transport and timely receipt of assistance from the Government and for monitoring of building codes.

Community level monitoring of earthquake safety standards is essential. Village committees will assist in monitoring progress, women's groups would be trained to supervise earthquake safe construction.

It will also be ensured that gender issues are addressed in designing entitlements - grants, houses, land titles and livelihood.

The first hand reports of our partners show extensive damage to houses, school buildings, panchayat buildings, milk collection centres, community centres, child care centres. Hence, as part of shelter, the social and economic infrastructure should ensure the rebuilding of all these community facilities as many are linked to decentralisation and livelihoods.

UNDP with UN Centre for Human Settlement (UNCHS) and their strong partnerships under ongoing initiatives will support the reconstruction and rehabilitation process through building temporary and permanent housing solutions with vulnerability-reduction orientation. UNDP is collaborating with Kutch Mahila Vikas Sanghathan (KMVS) in the entire Kutch area and Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) in Patan district under the GOI-UNDP Community based Pro-poor Initiatives Programme. The assistance to SEWA is to deal with the current natural calamity and support anti-desertification through integrated water resource management and economic empowerment. UNDP has also assisted SPARC-SSP (Society for Promotion of Area Resource Center - Swayam Shikshan Prayog) in Maharashtra after the Latur Earthquake in 1993 and supported the community driven reconstruction process. UNDP in collaboration and cooperation with the Government of India and State Government will work with the existing partnerships and share experiences of earlier disasters in the rehabilitation process.

Agriculture

FAO fielded a four-member mission headed by an international expert to assess the damage to crops, livestock and agriculture infrastructure. The main findings are that there is considerable damage to crops as well as livestock and the agriculture infrastructure has been widely devastated. Moreover, at the individual farmer level there is complete paralysis of the agricultural production cycle as they have lost most of the agricultural inputs, implements and machinery. Major efforts and measures will be needed to rebuild their homes. Farmers need support to rehabilitate the crops, livestock and fisheries production processes through a comprehensive agricultural rehabilitation package.

Nutrition of Women and Children

Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) is the social support channel that meets the nutritional need of women and children in normal times. This system, in the 5 districts most affected by the earthquake has completely collapsed, leaving an estimated 1.5 million women and children without nutrition support and health services. Some 1,774 Anganwadi Centers have been destroyed, cooking instruments have been buried under the rubble, the nutrition and health system has been dismantled and the ICDS related services are not operational. These centres provide food supplements to the most vulnerable groups of children. In coordination with UNICEF, WFP will assist in providing the food component of ICDS while nutrition and health services will be addressed by UNICEF.

Education

Approximately some 8,000 classrooms have been severely destroyed or damaged in the most affected districts throughout Gujarat. It is important to provide resources that will enable children to resume schooling as early as possible. This will make a major contribution to bring back a sense of normalcy. It will also protect the most vulnerable children from child labour demands. As experience has shown in a learning environment children help children overcome the trauma of the disaster. Due to the non-functioning of schools and the possibility of large-scale migration of people from the affected areas, many children are likely to drop out of schools. UNICEF is working with local authorities, community leaders, and NGOs to ensure a restart of school activities and learning. UNICEF is supplying locally purchased education kits, school tents, training of teachers. In addition, with other partners, UNICEF will support trauma counselling services for affected teachers and children.

NGOs, including Save the Children Fund, are also working in this sector.

Child Development and Nutrition

The Integrated Child Development Service, a programme unique to India provides supplementary food to the most nutritionally vulnerable groups, as well as preschool education, social support and a sense of organization to the community. The community worker (anganwadi worker) is also the focal point for much of the health and nutrition needs of the community; she lives in the community, and serves as the outreach worker for the health worker, who deals with 5 or more villages.

The system can help in revitalizing the community as they are reconstructed through community participation. In the past the Anganwadi centers were mainly in the homes of the teachers, but with the earthquake the possibility of putting them next to schools or health sub-centers emerges. Although this placement does not always make sense (it may result in the anganwadi center being very far from a village), where it does, it provides a good possibility for coordination. Reconstructing the Anganwadi centers can also give the opportunity to improving sanitation and hygiene, equipping each center with a child-friendly latrine and water purification system. It also provides the opportunity to supply higher quality learning kits.

A total of 500 Anganwadi centers were completely destroyed in the earthquake. Since these centers provide additional fortified food to the most vulnerable groups (malnourished children and pregnant and lactating women), their revitalization should be a high priority. Because growth monitoring is a regular part of the program, having scales available for weighing will be important for the assessment of the condition of children in the next few weeks following the earthquake.

Child Protection

UNICEF has estimated that at least 3 million children below 15 years of age were directly affected by the earthquake in the six hardest-hit districts of Gujarat, namely Kutch, Jamnagar, Rajkot, Surendranagar, Banaskantha and Ahmedabad.

Following extensive search by Government functionaries and local NGOs, 94 unaccompanied children have been identified in all the affected Talukas to date. All of them are under the care of their close relatives and none is kept in any institution. The State Government has decided to pay Rs. 500 per child per month to the carers towards child maintenance and education. Local NGOs have been asked to monitor progress and welfare. Offices have been established in Bhuj and all Taluka headquarters to report on any unaccompanied child. A Child Helpline has been set up in Bhuj, Bachau, Rapar and Gandhidham.

Most children have been traumatised and many will require special psychological support and counselling. UNICEF is playing a key advocacy and supportive role in ensuring that all children are cared and protected in collaboration with the Government of Gujarat and NGOs. There is high risk of child labour since so many schools were destroyed or damaged. In addition, families have lost their livelihood.

Medical and Health

The long-term restoration of the health sector will require specific attention to be paid to:

  • Reconstruction of clinics and hospitals;
  • Support for the training of medical staff;
  • Control of communicable diseases, including malaria control and vector borne diseases;
  • Disease surveillance and epidemiology;
  • Blood bank services;
  • HIV/AIDS;
  • Laboratory services (biochemistry and microbiology);
  • Control of Tuberculosis (DOTS);
  • Mental health;
  • Environmental health: Water and Sanitation and food safety/nutrition.


Livelihood and Environment

The quake - worsened by the ongoing drought - has badly affected the people's livelihood, especially the poor who do not have the means to re-start their income generating activities without external assistance. The communities in the affected area are involved in multiple livelihood activities. Besides agriculture and dairying, salt farming and minor forest collection are other activities. Craft is another major source of livelihood. Hence, support to artisans is extremely important. The salt pans in the deserts, have been damaged. The salt crystallisation has also been damaged. This has resulted into heavy loss to the salt farmers. The entire saltpans will have to be rebuilt, as early as possible. The partners also want to initiate craft work as a relief activity with micro-capital support for thousands of artisan families. The artisans will undertake production and the partner NGOs will gear up strong and effective marketing strategy. This will provide them livelihood security to withstand and rebuild their lives both from the earthquake and drought.

Eco restoration will be extremely important due to the concurrent drought situation and also because of changes in the geo-hydrological scenario (somewhere ponds have dried up whereas somewhere dry borewells have water). Comprehensive feasibility studies and Environmental Impact Assessment need to be conducted. Watershed development will go a long way for drought proofing and will help to revive the land, water and vegetative cover in the area.

UNDP is supporting both KMVS and SEWA in the affected areas for strengthening their livelihood systems. Productive credit is being provided for poverty alleviation to groups in Patan through crafts, fodder security, gum collection and environmental regeneration.

The producer groups in Kutch were being enabled to increase their income potential. Ministry of Rural Development (MORD) a partner of UNDP has requested UNDP to undertake a damage assessment and a needs assessment of crafts persons and artisan community in Kutch for revival of craft and their livelihoods.

UNDP presence is needed to reconstruct the livelihoods and strengthen the rehabilitation efforts.

Disaster Management

In difficult circumstances, the Indian Government has done extremely well in managing the response to this devastating earthquake. It has shown strong leadership and a commitment to introduce emergency procedures when the need arises. In their own professional area of disaster management the members of the UNDAC Team feel strongly that there is a need for identification of the lessons that can be learned from this disaster. A particular lesson may be the need to consider the potential role of international agencies in major disasters. The 'lessons learned' process is possible using Indian expertise but would benefit from wider exposure of those concerned with international experience. Technical and training assistance as well as exchange visits to overseas countries may be considered beneficial.

The UNDAC team also recommends that Indian authorities consider becoming members of the UNDAC and International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) systems, where it is felt that its members would greatly benefit from the Indian experiences.

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