HIGHLIGHTS
- Heavy rains halts air operations and causes land slides
- Slides have dammed/blocked rivers which could create dangerous flood waves
- Up to five years will be required to clear roads completely
- Eid holidays slows food distributions
1. SECURITY
The general security situation was calm with no incidents to report.
2. POLITICAL SITUATION AFFECTING HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS / CONSTRAINTs
Nothing new to report.
3. OPERATIONAL ISSUES
Between 13 and 17 January heavy rains severely hampered relief efforts in several areas. It adversely effected the entire population living in these areas. Dispatches of food by air for distribution were halted for three days in some areas. Several roads are still blocked due to landslides and snow. The cold and harsh weather conditions may trigger migration from the upper mountains to lower areas.
The UN Country Team met with an Austrian Geologist who has 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 five years will be required to clear roads completely, to stabilize/reinforce slopes, and to repair bridges. Secondary and tertiary roads will require a couple years to clear and render passable as there are hundreds of slides and major cracks above the majority of roads which could slip downwards very soon. According to him, major damage from landslides could occur in March/April 2006 when soils become waterlogged by snowmelt and rains.
The needs/duration of assistance could be greater/longer than originally anticipated and helicopter operations should be maintained to supply tools, equipment, chemical fertilizer, seed and food. Moreover, slides have dammed/blocked rivers which are about to spill-over and to create flood waves (>60 million cubic meters of water in some lakes already). Given the slopes/grades in most locations, waves are expected to be of high volume and velocity, and having potential to cause severe damage on top of the devastation already created by the earthquake. Pumping/syphoning stations are being erected next to lakes to reduce damage. The city/capital of Hattjan is under threat and Muzaffarabad could also be affected.
KEY FIGURES:
|
Date
|
October
|
November
|
December
|
January
|
| Total EMOP Caseload |
1,000,000
|
1,000,000
|
1,000,000
|
995,000(1)
|
| Total caseload reached (estimate) by WFP |
712,792(2)
|
1,000,0003
|
1,059,640(3)
|
241,0863
|
| Total dispatched (44,317 MT) |
5,200
|
16,835
|
15,082
|
4,369
|
| In country stocks (MT) |
8,989
|
9,290
|
11,448
|
13,048
|
| Staffing Statistics | ||||
| WFP staff |
134
|
185
|
229
|
232(4)
|
| WFP Logistic Support SO |
1
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
| UNHAS staff |
13
|
30
|
43
|
55
|
| UNJLC staff |
22
|
34
|
29
|
34
|
| FITTEST |
2
|
2
|
2
|
2
|
| Standby Partners |
33
|
45
|
45
|
45
|
| Total staff in country |
205
|
298
|
349
|
369
|
(1) Excluding 110,000 children in tented schools receiving a supplementary ration of HEB and dates and 4,000 people in tented hospitals receiving full rations.
(2) Please note that not all beneficiaries received a full food basket/ration.
(3) Calculation based on preliminary figures from the Commodity Movement Processing and Analysis System (COMPASS)
(4) Number of current WFP staff to be verified by HR, including a breakdown by type of contract
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