Pakistan: Floods/Cyclone OCHA Situation Report No. 7

This situation report is based on information received from the United Nations Resident Coordinator's Office in Pakistan, the National Disaster Management Authority, the National Disaster Response Advisor of OCHA in Pakistan, the Pakistan Meteorological Department, Clusters and media sources.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Balochistan

1. There are around 5,000 affected villages that suffered severe disruption of electricity and water and also lack of communication infrastructure.

3. The Provincial Relief Commissioner of Balochistan stated that almost all of the population around the Jhal Magsi District was displaced (according to the Government census, the total population of Jhal Magsi stands at approximately 140,000). Crops and livestock have been destroyed by the floods. Jhal Magsi remains inaccessible via roads and efforts are being carried out to prioritize aid to this area.

4. Various national media have reported that more than 30 villages of Jafferabad district were submerged under water due to flash floods. Diarrhea, gastroenteritis and skin diseases are on the rise.

Sindh

5. According to the NDMA, water is receding in the flood-affected districts of Sindh and the situation gradually stabilizing. Later reports indicate that there are over 16,000 houses damaged, 107,397 displaced persons. Crops and orchards have also been damaged. The worst affected is the Shahdad Kot District.

6. Unconfirmed media reports showed that 20 more villages had been flooded in Union Council Warah Taluka's Gaji Khuhawar, District Larkana.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

7. The president visited one of the worst affected areas of Sindh, Shahdadkot town, where 30,000 people had been displaced. He announced that RS 15,000 (approximately $250) will be given to each flood affected person.

8. The priorities for the government are provision of shelter, water and medicine, reestablishing the road network-especially inside Balochistan- and taking measures to avoid outbreak of any epidemic.

9. As of 9 July, the NDMA reported 99 C-130 flights carrying 753 MT of relief supplies, and 188 helicopter flights carrying 167 MT to the flood affected areas. The Navy and Utility Stores Corporation (USC) has distributed items, including food rations, drinking water, tents and medicines.

10. The NDMA reported to have around 70 relief camps set up in Shahdadkot Town, Sindh Providence. More than 100,000 people have been evacuated from 1,170 small villages. Approximately 10,000 persons are camping outside on the roadside. In Shahdadkot town, 500 tents and 5,000 school bags sufficient for one family per week have been distributed whereas another 20,000 are being procured. There are 8 medical camps and 12 mobile medical teams working in the area.

11. The Balochistan Provincial Government has deployed 162 staff in 72 medical camps along with 25 mobile teams in Balochistan.

COORDINATED ASSISTANCE

(International & National)

12. The Government of Pakistan (GoP) and the humanitarian community as a whole partners working through the Cluster system are currently engaged in a major coordinated assessment of the needs and damages in the affected areas. Both UNDAC and FACT (IFRC) teams are supporting this operation. More detailed analysis and updates are therefore expected from the Cluster leads in the coming days.

13. DFID has committed up to £1 million (approximately USD 273,000) to help the flood relief operations in Pakistan. DFID has also deployed two humanitarian experts to participate in the needs' assessments.

14. Water purification plants received from France will be installed in Baluchistan. Iran has sent relief items to Gwadar.

15. The German Federal Foreign Office has provided 200,000 Euro (approximately USD 273,000) to two German aid organizations, Malteser International and Humedica, which will distribute materials for emergency shelters and urgently needed relief goods to the flood victims. The German Consulate-General in Karachi is providing homeless families in the flooded area with tents, medicines and food packages.

Assessments

16. For the Joint Assessment Mission in Quetta, an orientation meeting was arranged with the Provincial Home Secretary and the NDMA on 8 July, where the assessment checklist and field research methodology for both road and helicopter missions were introduced.

17. Six road assessment missions to be concluded in six days have started on Monday and air assessments are being carried out over Khoran, Khuzdar, Sibi, and Usta Muhammad, with overflights of Jhal Magsi, in Balochistan providence.

18. FAO is currently undertaking a three-person assessment mission in the surrounding districts. They will return to Quetta in the coming days and share their findings. Initial reports indicate widespread livestock and crop damage.

19. UNHCR is also conducting independent assessments of the Kharan, Chaghi and Noshki areas in Balochistan. The UNDAC team will be making contact with HCR field staff currently based in Kharan and Chaghi for information on the current situation. In Chaghi, Posti and Lejay Karez, UNHCR provided material assistance to both Afghan and local affected population.

20. A Federation Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT), consisting of International and existing in-country personnel, has assembled in Karachi and is being deployed to the areas affected by flooding. Two teams, each consisting of 5 technical experts will work with their respective Pakistan Red Crescent Society counterparts in both Sindh and Baluchistan provinces to assess, plan and implement assistance programmes.

21. In addition a FACT shelter expert has been released to support the rapid joint assessment team in Baluchistan.

Cluster Activities

Food Cluster

21. WFP is coordinating with NDMA and the Provincial Relief Commissioner to determine the amount of food and areas to be covered. On 8 July, WFP supplied a total of 3.24 MT to Noshki and Sibi for 5,400 people. On 9 July, WFP has dispatched 54 MT supplies to District Khuzdar for 9,000 people. Nutrition Cluster

22. The Nutrition Cluster has been officially formed in Islamabad. A senior Emergency Nutrition Officer will arrive in Islamabad on 9 July to lead the Cluster.

23. Information related to Nutrition was included into the ongoing Rapid Assessment Survey. The Balochistan authorities have requested UNICEF to undertake a rapid nutrition assessment, to be approved by NDMA.

24. UNICEF Quetta Office handed over 60 MT of UNIMIX, food for vulnerable children, lactating and pregnant women [to the Balochistan Relief Commissioner]. About 90% of this has already been distributed to the flood affected districts. Leaflets on local language on how to prepare UNIMIX were developed and distributed along with the food. An additional 70 MT of UNIMIX and 445 cartons PB5, (ready-to-eat food) arrived in Quetta on 8 July.

25. Essential supplies (Oxfam kits) required to set up the Therapeutic Feeding Centers for severely malnourished children have already been sent to Quetta.

Health Cluster

26. Snake bite cases have increased: NDMA reported on Monday 394 cases of snake bites (312 in Sindh and 82 in Balochistan) but NDMA indicates that adequate stocks of Anti-Snake Venom (ASV) are available. Cases of diarrhea, scabies, skin rash and malaria have been reported from various districts in Baluchistan. More than 50 cases of Dengue Fever - including 2 deaths- have been reported in Karachi.

27. NDMA has asked the Ministry of Health (MoH) to report daily on disease surveillance and control. Assessment reports and details of the disease surveillance and control activities will be presented to the NDMA by MoH officers this week.

Logistics Cluster

28. Relief goods are being moved by the Pakistani Air Force C-130s from Islamabad to Karachi; by helicopter from Jacobabad, Turbat, and Quetta; and by sea from Karachi to Gwadar and Turbat. Goods are being moved by road through the National Logistics Cell (NLC) by the Utilities Stores Corporation from Islamabad to Quetta.

29. Action Contre la Faim (ACF) is looking at Nutrition and Water and Sanitation projects including emergency water-tankering. ACF also has emergency stocks in Abbottabad and is looking for common storage in Quetta.

Information Management

31. The Information Management working group held a meeting in Islamabad to establish a website (http://pfic.webexone.com) where all data can be found including situation reports, meeting minutes, flood-related assessment reports and other related documents. With the help of UN Habitat, a 3W Matrix is being mapped showing 'who's doing what where', initially by district and to be followed by a Union Council map. The results from the joint assessment team will also be posted on the website. The NDMA website is available to download minutes, document and presentations at http://www.ndma.gov.pk/FLOODNews.html

32. This situation report together with further information on ongoing emergencies is also available on the OSOCC Internet Website. http://www.unocha.org/vosocc and on the OCHA Internet Website http://www.reliefweb.int/

Map: Pakistan: Floods/Cyclone - Update (as of 9 Jul 2007)

For detailed information please contact:

Desk Officer (New York)
Ms. Heidi Kuttab
Office Tel: +1 917 367 33 65
Office Fax: +1 212 963 36 30
Email: kuttab@un.org

GCMS (Geneva)
Ms. Guadalupe de Sousa
Tel: +41 22 917 4336
email: desousa1@un.org

OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Mr. Rajan Gengaje
Regional Disaster Response Adviser
Office Tel. +66-2288-2572
Office Fax +66-2288-1043
Mobile + 66-8-1916-1271
Email: Gengaje@un.org

Press Contact: (NY)
Ms. Stephanie Bunker
Office Tel : + 1 917-367-5126

Office Fax: + 1 212-963-1312
Email: bunker@un.org

(GVA)
Ms. Elizabeth Byrs
Tel + 41 22 917 26 53
Fax + 41 22 917 00 20
E-mail: byrs@un.org

Disclaimer

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