Attachments
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
KEY DEVELOPMENTS
- On November 7, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) shared the results of the U.N. Multi-Cluster Rapid Assessment Mechanism (MCRAM) with humanitarian organizations and donors. According to the assessment, the earthquake affected nearly 70,000 people, destroyed nearly 3,500 houses, and damaged more than 4,000 others. On November 19, the Government of Pakistan (GOP) National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) released revised estimates that the earthquake damaged or destroyed nearly 10,000 homes.
- Humanitarian organizations have also offered varying estimates of affected populations and housing damage. The USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) noted that different organizations have different methods of assessing earthquake damage.
- On November 10, the USAID/DART officially demobilized. USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) is now focusing on early recovery, particularly transitional shelter and livelihoods, which multiple relief organizations have identified as priority needs.
|
ESTIMATED NUMBERS AT
A GLANCE
|
SOURCE
| |
| Total Dead |
166
| NDMA - November 5, 2008 |
| Total Injured |
357
| NDMA - November 5, 2008 |
| Total Homes Damaged or Destroyed |
9,897
| NDMA - November 19, 2008 |
| Total Affected Population |
68,200
| U.N. - November 7, 2008 |
FY 2009 HUMANITARIAN FUNDING ALLOCATED TO DATE
USAID/OFDA Assistance to Pakistan: $2,589,081
Total USAID Humanitarian Assistance to Pakistan: $2,589,081
CURRENT SITUATION
- USAID/OFDA is working closely with non-governmental organization (NGO) partners to provide timely and appropriate transitional shelter to affected populations during the winter season in accordance with the Interagency shelter cluster and GOP NDMA shelter strategies.
- To assist earthquake-affected households in Ziarat and Pishin districts, USAID/OFDA partners plan to provide approximately 700 winterized transitional shelter units, benefiting an estimated 5,700 people. USAID/OFDA is also planning to support complementary cash-for-work and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) activities, including latrine construction.
Shelter
- Following the October 29 earthquake, the USAID/DART identified shelter as a primary humanitarian need and focused resources on contributing to shelter sector response. USAID/OFDA provided technical assistance to GOP agencies and humanitarian organizations and also provided immediate shelter support through tents, blankets, and plastic sheeting distributed by NGO partners.
- Assessments have produced a range of estimates of the number of houses damaged or destroyed, including the GOP military estimate of 2,000 houses and the U.N. MCRAM finding of approximately 7,600 houses. The Balochistan Rural Support Program (BRSP) reported more than 10,000 damaged houses, but indicated that the assessment classified houses with any cracks in the mud walls or roofs as structurally unsafe.
- As of November 19, the GOP, humanitarian organizations, and a variety of local groups had distributed approximately 17,600 non-winterized tents and nearly 3,100 winterized tents, as well as plastic sheeting, blankets, and other relief supplies to meet immediate shelter needs, according to NDMA.
- USAID/OFDA has contributed $1 million to an implementing partner for the provision of immediate humanitarian assistance, including shelter and emergency relief supplies. As of November 13, the USAID/OFDA partner hadprovided 690 tents and 1,475 blankets in Ziarat District and 150 tents, 345 tarpaulin sheets, 330 blankets, and 186 mats in Pishin District.
- Based on initial assessment results, including the BRSP assessment, the U.N. Shelter Cluster identified the need for 10,000 to 17,000 one-room transitional shelter units during the region's harsh winter season, after which GOP rebuilding programs are scheduled to commence.
- A USAID/OFDA shelter specialist worked closely with NGO partners on the design for winterized transitional shelters to ensure earthquake-resistant, low cost structures that meet international Sphere shelter standards(1).
Health
- According to the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO), the earthquake significantly damaged 20 health centers in Ziarat District that provide care for an estimated 60,000 individuals. The earthquake also caused damage to nine health centers in Pishin District, including the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Khanozai. Health staff are currently referring patients to hospitals in the provincial capital of Quetta.
- WHO has raised concerns regarding increasing incidence of acute respiratory infections among earthquake-affected populations mainly due to cold weather. Other humanitarian representatives note that acute respiratory infection is a common seasonal disease in the region.
- To respond to psychosocial needs of displaced populations, WHO has launched a mental health initiative with the GOP Ministry of Health and implementing partners. Since November 3, four mental health teams have provided assistance to affected populations in Kawas and Ahmadoon rural health centers and Khan basic health unit in Ziarat District and in Khanozai Hospital in Pishin District.
- Immediately following the earthquake, USAID/OFDA supported NGO partners in the delivery of first-aid kits, blankets, and medical supplies to hospitals and health structures in affected areas.
Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
- As of November 13, U.N. WASH Cluster interventions had provided nearly 26,000 people with safe drinking water, according to OCHA. With support from the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF), the GOP Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) is transporting safe drinking water to more than 6,600 people in Ziarat District. In addition, PHED has installed 13 water tanks in Ziarat District.
- As of November 18, UNICEF had constructed 405 latrines, benefiting more than 8,000 people. According to OCHA, UNICEF and partners completed 50 bathing facilities for displaced populations in Ziarat District and initiated construction of 495 additional latrines.
- To respond to emergency WASH needs, USAID/OFDA is supporting the construction of communal latrines in conjunction with transitional shelter construction in affected areas to benefit at least 4,800 people.
Food Assistance
- The U.N. World Food Program (WFP) has launched an immediate response emergency operation (EMOP) for earthquake-affected populations. The first WFP food distributions began on November 4. Under the EMOP, WFP plans to initially provide two monthly rations for 3,300 families, or 20,000 individuals, primarily in the most-affected districts of Ziarat and Pishin. As of November 11, WFP had distributed approximately 300 metric tons (MT) of emergency food assistance to an estimated 20,000 people in Ziarat and Pishin districts.
Map: USAID Humanitarian Assistance to Pakistan: Earthquake, Balochistan Province (as of 25 Nov 2008)