Dated: 06 November 2008
General overview of the situation
Highlights
The McRam, facilitated by UNICEF and WFP, was conducted from 31st October to 3rd November in 36 villages in the earthquake-affected areas of Ziarat, Pishin and Harnai. According to this survey, over 7,600 houses have completely or partially been destroyed, and over 68,200 people are in need of emergency and relief assistance. Freezing rain and snow falls are expected in a few days' time.
Key Information
An earthquake of 6.4 magnitude on Richter scale shook south-western areas of Balochistan province in Pakistan in the early hours of 29 October 2008. The tremor was followed by a number of violent aftershocks, severely affecting the districts of Ziarat, Pishin and Harnai, destroying houses and sending tens of thousands of people fleeing their homes and taking shelter under the open sky in sub-zero temperatures. The earthquake also destroyed or damaged water schemes, schools and health facilities. At least 175 people were killed and 500 injured. While the full impact of the disaster is still being assessed, according to the latest McRAM survey :
- Over 7,600 houses have been fully or partially destroyed.
- Over 68,200 people, 50 per cent of them children, have been affected and are in urgent need of shelter, food, warm clothing, emergency medical care, and water and sanitation facilities.
- Over 32 per cent of the affected population need immediate shelter
- Nearly 85 per cent of schools have been fully or partially destroyed.
- About 62 per cent of the affected population have no food stock, and those who have will run out of it within 2-4 weeks.
- The average family size is nine (9) persons.
- Nearly 50 per cent of the affected population and over 62 per cent of the children (lack of appetite and unable to sleep) suffering from psychological effects of the earthquake.
- There is a sharp drop in the feeding patterns for the 6-12 month old children.
Water, Environment and Sanitation (WES)
UNICEF is currently supporting the Balochistan Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) in provision of safe drinking water to 12,000 persons through:
- Installation of 10 bladders; eight (8) with 5,000 liters capacity, and two (2) with 10,000 liters capacity in Ziarat District.
- Water trucking through six (6) water tankers
- Restoration of two partially damaged schemes
- Installation of eight (8) water filtration plants, five (5) in Ziarat, and two (2) in Pishin District.
- Distribution of 400 Jerry cans (10 liter capacity, one per family), to 200 families in Pishin and 200 in Ziarat.
UNICEF with the support of NGO cluster partners (PIDS, BRSP and WESS) is providing adequate sanitation services to 1,300 displaced population through:
- Construction of 65 latrines, and work is in progress on 128 sites
- Provision of hygiene kits to 1,800 families in district Ziarat
- Work is in progress on construction of 50 bathing places
An orientation session on SPHERE standards, emergency latrine construction and installation of water points and bladders was also organized for partners working in Ziarat District, in which 12 participants of six organizations were trained.
- The following supplies are being received at the Quetta field office and its distribution to the affected areas is in process with WASH cluster partners:
1. 500 latrines slabs
2. 10,000 buckets (10 liter)
3. Collapsible/Rigid Jerry cans having 10 liters capacity
4. 80 Tarpaulin Sheet 4=D750 meters
5. 500 Tarpaulin Sheet 4=D75 meters
6. 1,500 Nerox filters for water purification
7. 500 family hygiene kits
8. 17 Calcium hypochlorite buckets
9. 20 water bladders, 1500 liter
10. 5 water bladders, 10,000 liter
11. 20 Water bladders, 5000 liter
12. 100 shovels
13. 5,000 Aqua tabs
Health and Nutrition:
The health cluster met and measles outbreak prevention campaign was planned, on priority basis, to prevent measles outbreak in EQ affected areas. UNICEF committed full support for carrying out measles outbreak prevention campaign in EQ affected areas, initially in Ziarat district the worst affected district. In close coordination with WHO and EPI headquarter following steps were taken:
- According to the available data, the target population was calculated as 18,049 children from 6 months to 13 years in Ziarat.
- Provincial EPI provided mobile vaccination teams and four vehicles for teams including supervisory teams from Quetta.
- UNICEF ensured the availability of vaccine and cold chain equipment at the district level.
- Trained teams were identified and deployed for the purpose to ensure quality of campaign.
- Taking advantage of routine EPI vaccination, TT vaccination was also planned.
- UNICEF is supporting the campaign by providing technical support, logistic, training, supervision and mobility of teams
UNICEF Response:
- Measles outbreak prevention campaign and vitamin A supplementation is ongoing.
- Three months Nutrition response plan has been prepared in consultation with Nutrition cell of the Department of Health to be finalized in cluster meeting.
- Three months Health support prepared in consultation with WHO and Department of Health and to be finalized in cluster meeting.
- Nutrition interventions planned, PCAs shared with Pakistan Country Office Islamabad for further action.
- Ten thousand (10,000) mosquito nets ready for distribution.
- Quantities of 23 various items of medical/surgical kits and medicine also received and ready for distribution.
Current Status:
- Ten mobile EPI teams are deployed in the field led by EDO Health of Ziarat with support from EPI Headquarter.
- In two days 3,140 children were vaccinated in 6 union councils of Ziarat.
- TT (tetanus toxoid) vaccination is also being given to the reproductive age women.
- Sufficient vaccines and other logistics have been made available for the vaccination
Awareness Campaign:
- Integrated Health and Nutrition Communication strategy has been drafted.
- Material for awareness raising on key health and nutrition issues being distributed through partners
- UNICEF, in partnership with Balochistan Boy Scouts Association, is preparing for an intensive, 30-day awareness campaign on child health and nutrition issues.
Education
According to latest McRAM survey 85 per cent of the schools, around 300, in the affected areas are completely or partially destroyed. The first Education Cluster meeting was held to discuss the following issues:
- Winterized school tents for collapsed schools
- Minor/ Major repairs - Partially damaged schools, with functional WES facilities.
- Psychosocial support for teachers and for students, supplemented by recreational activities.
On the basis of the decision taken, a final list of effected schools of districts (Pishin, Ziarat and Harnai) was shared with partners for review and further planning. Similarly the decision that Directorate shall meet with EDOs and finalize the examination schedule for the affected areas was also discussed.
Update on the education response proposed strategy in EQ affected areas:
One of the strategies is setting up temporary learning centres, that will provide children shelter and space for creation and learning. As an emergency response, UNICEF has placed order for 69 winterized school tents. Similarly a proposal has been submitted to several Donors. The repair work on partially damaged schools is to start in summer, as with the onset of winter construction work is not possible at this time.
Child Protection
Issues:
- Vulnerable women and children are not prioritized in the distribution of the relief assistance.
- Children are without proper warm clothing, and the temperature falls below the freezing point at night.
- Children are traumatised and couldn't sleep properly in the night due to after shocks.
- Children physically abused by adults have been reported.
- Loss of documentation.
Update:
- As an initial response, warm clothing (sweaters 800, shawls 200, socks 400) were distributed to the earthquake affected areas of district Zairat on 31st October 2008.
- The child protection Sub-cluster was notified by the Secretary Social Welfare- Government of Balochistan on 3rd November 2008. The first meeting of the Sub-cluster was held on 4th November 2008, which was chaired by the Secretary Social Selfare Department.
- The rapid registration of the vulnerable women and children started on November 05, 2008 in three districts of Zairat, Pishin and Harnai, covering 48 affected villages. The final report will be available for circulation next week.
- As of today 2100 blankets and 500 shoes have been distributed to Ziarat Distric through Balochistan Boys Scouts Association.
Communication
UNICEF, in partnership with Balochistan Boy Scouts Association, is preparing for an intensive, 30-day awareness campaign on child health and nutrition issues.