I. SITUATION OVERVIEW
Falling temperatures across the country over the past week have exacerbated the difficulties being faced by many flood-affected families. Nighttime temperatures in southern Punjab have reached as low as 5=B0C, and have been well below freezing in parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), which continues to host a significant number of conflict displaced persons.
A multi-cluster team is visiting Gilgit-Baltistan from 6 January. Building upon recent assessments and relief activities by the Government and aid agencies in the region, the team will develop a consolidated response plan for the winter months when road access will be a major challenge. Appoximatley 3,400 flood-affected families in Gilgit-Baltistan will require a range of support through the winter, which will last until March. The plan will also seek to cover the needs of persons otherwise affected by emergencies over the winter months. Key assistance priorities are food, shelter, WASH and health. Agricultural needs will be fully assessed after the winter passes.
In KPK, planning is underway to facilitate the return of remaining flood-affected IDPs residing in 17 spontaneous camps in Nowshera and Charsadda districts. A UNHCR profiling assessment has identified concerns related to watan cards, food rations and lack of shelter in the area of origin as key factors hindering their return. Provincial authorities will assist these persons in securing watan cards and government-sponsored income support. The humanitarian community is assessing whether to support construction of one-room shelters in return areas, or to provide transitional shelters to facilitate quicker return.
Return of conflict-affected IDPs from sites in KPK to Orakzai and South Waziristan agencies in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) is continuing. So far 7,396 families have returned to Orakzai and 360 have returned to South Waziristan. The returning families are provided with shelter, non-food items and food assistance at points of departure.
In Sindh, floodwaters are expected to remain in parts of Jamshoro and Dadu districts for the coming two months. Though temperatures in Sindh and southern Punjab are less extreme than in the north of the country, the cold weather in these areas necessitates urgently scaled up distribution of winterisation packages.
Closer collaboration between the Government and the humanitarian community in Sindh is needed to develop an effective strategy to support and encourage displaced persons willing to return to do so.
Early recovery shelter continues to be a key priority in Punjab. Just 407 one-room shelters have so far been completed in the province, according to the shelter cluster, though a further 48,000 have been committed. Construction is expected to expand significantly this month.
Disclaimer
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.