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2337

The earthquake 26 October, 7.5 magnitude earthquake affected sixteen provinces in Afghanistan and two provinces along with the FATA region in Pakistan. It left a total of 395 people dead, 2,269 injured and 116,639 houses damaged in both the countries. Infrastructural damage was most extensive near the epicentre of the quake in both the countries. Access to the affected provinces is most difficult due to the volatile security situation in Afghanistan and the rugged terrain in both the quake hit countries.

The decreasing temperatures in the affected zones of both the countries is another hurdle in accessibility to the areas. With no appropriate shelter, the earthquake hit communities are forced to face the harsh winter in compromising conditions, struggling to meet their basic survival requirements.

Pakistan: As per the latest information released by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), so far 280 people have died, 1,745 have been injured and a total of 98,094 houses have been damaged across the country. Out of the total houses damaged, 92 percent were located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Damages to infrastructure such as roads, bridges and communication networks, in the affected areas are also significant.

Protection against the near freezing temperatures is the priority need of the affected communities. In this regard, winterization support is a highly recommended form of assistance by the district government. This is followed by health services which also a critical need of the quake hit communities who are exposed to the dropping temperatures without adequate winter supplies.

Afghanistan: A total of 115 people have died, 524 people have been injured and 18,545 houses have been damaged in Afghanistan. A recorded 6,929 houses out of the total damaged have been completely destroyed. A reported 130,093 people have been affected across the country as per the latest report, however the damage assessment is still ongoing which may result in a further increase in number of damages.

More than 50,000 people have been affected in Badakhshan province where property damage was most widespread. Access remains the major challenge in providing assistance to the earthquake affected people in Afghanistan. The primary needs of the affected communities in the country have been identified as basic household supplies, blankets, tents, hygiene kits and shelter for those families whose houses have been completely destroyed.

Quality and Accountability Related Issues

Afghanistan: Community World Service Asia has conducted a Rapid Accountability Need Assessment (RANA) with local and international organizations working on the earthquake response in Afghanistan.  Listed below are the accountability related issues that have surfaced in the assessment;

  • Organizations have less capacity to handle complaints as they do not have proper Complaint Response Mechanisms (CRM) in place or trained staff to deal with the concerns of the communities
  • Due to current developing security situation, some international organizations are unable to reach far flung and remote affected communities

Pakistan: Community World Service Asia organized an Accountability Learning and Working Group (ALWG) meeting on Nov 19, 2015 to discuss the challenges and issues faced by humanitarian actors in responding to the recent Earthquake in Pakistan.  Ten national and International organizations including UN agencies participated in the event. Listed below are the identified accountability related issues;

  • Access to the severely affected areas is still a major issue
  • 50 percent of the affected community is still waiting for compensation
  • The Government is disbursing compensation amounts through cheques however most of the earthquake affected communities do not have bank accounts to cash their cheques
  • No proper emergency evacuation system has yet been placed for children in earthquake affected areas. The schools in these areas are still not functional either.
  • Some of the organizations have provided shelters to the communities but the quality of the shelters does not take in account resilience to changing and extreme weather.
  • Some community members have started reconstructing their homes but they are not following the earthquake resilient structure guidelines.
  • Lack of coordinated assessment is still a major challenge.

Response by Community World Service Asia: Community World Service Asia’s Emergency Health Response team has provided health services through Mobile Health Units in District Shangla for 12 days where the team treated 1,853 patients, of which 975 were male patients and 878 were female. A total of 136 lab tests have also been carried out at the MHU. Since November 16th, the team has started operating as a static Basic Health Unit at UC Kuzkana in the Shangla district, where the team has assisted more than 600 patients, and carried more than a hundred lab tests so far. Community World Service Asia has also distributed one month food packages to 371 families and distributed 812 winterization kits to affected families till date. In the coming days more distributions of winterization kits will also take place.

Please follow our live photo update from the earthquake affected areas on our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/communityworldserviceasia/ .

Contacts:
Allan A. Calma
Deputy Director
Disaster Management Program
Email: allan.calma@communityworldservice.asia
Cell: +92 301 5801621

Muhammad Fazal
Associate Director
Emergencies/DRR/Climate Change
Email: fazil.sardar@communitryworldservice.asia
Cell: +92 332 5586134

Nejabat Khan Safi
Associate Director
Disaster Management Program
Email: nejabat.safi@communitryworldservice.asia
Mobile: +93 799 326 628

Palwashay Arbab
Head of Communications
Email: palwashay.arbab@communityworldservice.asia
Ph: +92 42 3586 5338

Sources:
http://www.ndma.gov.pk/new/
http://www.pmd.gov.pk/
http://www.Reliefweb.int
OCHA Afghanistan
IOM Afghanistan

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“My entire family was at home as the earthquake struck. I yelled at all of them to come out to the open yard in front of the house. They all rushed out. We all gathered outside, staring in awe at the shuddering building of our house and everything around it. However, as the earthquake continued, the brick wall of the mosque next door to our house collapsed, with bricks falling on three of my granddaughters, aged 16, 10 and 5.

 My dear grandchildren were trapped under a heavy pile of bricks and I was helpless as I could not rescue them from the rubble on my own, even when I tried. All of us were in a state of trauma and my hands were shivering.

After a little while of the earthquake ending, fellow villagers came to help me rescue my injured family members. We pulled them out of the rubble together and immediately took them to the Central Hospital in Mingora where all three of the girls were admitted and given treatment. Two of my younger granddaughters fractured their legs while the elder one fractured her jaw and a leg. Her jaw has been operated upon in emergency and the doctor has advised for a follow up operation as well.”

This is the first account story of a 65 year old Rahim Gul, head of a family of ten. He belongs to and lives in the earthquake affected Union Council Malik Khel in District Shangla. Rahim Gul owns and runs a small tuck shop in his resident village, through which he supports and fulfills the basic needs of the family.

On October 26th, Rahim Gul had returned home for lunch when the dreadful earthquake of magnitude 7.5 struck their home village. Seeing his family affected and his grandchildren hurt, he has been feeling helpless.  Rahim Gul feels guilty for asking his family members to evacuate to the open yard outside his house since the house survived the earthquake without much damage. Little did he know they were in more danger outside than inside the house.

The concerned grandfather has not been interested in claiming any relief from organizations or the government but is worried for his injured grandchildren.

Community World Service Asia’s Emergency Health Response team is currently providing health services through their Mobile Health Unit in District Shangla. The unit is supported by a Mobile Laboratory that diagnoses the affected communities through tests. The unit has so far conducted 1853 consultations in the five union councils of Kuz Kana, Shahpur, Pirkhana, Lelownai, and Malak Khel of district Shangla. A total of 869 male and 984 female patients have been checked at the MHU since it has been set up. These include children. In addition, 136 lab tests have also been carried out in these three union councils.

We have also distributed one month food rations to 371 earthquake affected families in Shangla as part of the response.  Provision of emergency winterization kits and more food packages as a means of extending the assistance is to be continued in the following weeks. Our current target districts for response are Shangla and Swat while expansion to other districts is subject to the community needs and the availability of funds.

Please follow our live photo update from the earthquake affected areas on our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/communityworldserviceasia/

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An 8 year old Kainat was spotted during our visit to DHQ Alpuri. She was injured when we met her as she was held by her father, who supports a family of nine including his wife, his father, two sons and four daughters. Kainat’s family are residents of the earthquake affected village Maal of UC Kuzkana, District Shangla.

“We were all sitting in the kitchen after having lunch when the earthquake hit with full intensity. We rushed and evacuated our house and gathered in the fields outside. I was looking around at the shaking houses, mountains and trees as the earthquake continued. Then, all of a sudden, our house started to collapse around me, giving me no time to move. A wooden beam fell on my leg while at the same time some pieces of stones hit my grandfather,”

narrated Kainat’s as she recalled her experience during the devastating earthquake.

Kainat’s father added, “Nearly fifty percent of houses were destroyed in our village but the neighbors whose houses survived showed great solidarity and immediately started helping those families affected. They  helped us to rescue my daughter and my father from the rubble and quickly moved them to the hospital. We reached RHC Karora in a state of emergency, where, after being provided with first aid, we were referred to the Swat Hospital, as Kainat’s leg was broken in two places and my father was severely injured. We received a thorough treatment at the Swat Hospital; my daughter was discharged but my father is still admitted there.”

Upon inquiring about the current needs of those affected by the earthquake, he replied that the affected communities are currently seeking shelter under polythene sheets in open fields as the other villagers help in providing them with food and comfort to the best of their abilities. The weather is becoming extremely cold. Tents, blankets and food items are most needed for families like Kainat’s to survive and recover.

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“I have nothing left to lose any more.”

Sartaj Bacha is resident of Village Syedano Kalay in Tehsil Barikot, district Swat and was living quite a content life with his wife and five daughter. Despite not earning very handsomely since he was working on a daily wage, his life in his three room mud house was comfortable. Every morning he walked to work.

“The pouring rain on the day of the disastrous earthquake proved to be a blessing in disguise for my family and myself as I was home with them since I could not go to work due to the continuous rain. As the trembling of the earthquake began, I ran to take my four daughters and wife out of the house to a safer location but in haste I forgot my youngest daughter, Sania, two and a half years, sleeping in bed.”

Sania was buried under the debris of the fallen roof and the panicked parents could hear her helpless cries from beneath the rubble. With the help of his neighbors, Sartaj instantly reached out to Sania after digging her out from the rubble. She was dug out of the rubble uninjured miraculously. “Had I been not at home, I would have lost any one of my family members,” expressed Sartaj, holding Sania in his arms. “I thank God for sending rains as my family’s savior”.

“Even though I lost everything, I have my family with me.” Sartaj and his affected neighbors are living with their relatives in their house in a nearby village. The affected communities in this area have not yet received any immediate support from humanitarian or government agencies.  Most of the community members are being supported with food assistance by their relatives from the winter food stocks that they were holding. That stock is also being depleted quickly since it is feeding more than its intended recipients.

Sartaj Bacha expressed that he has not yet thought of any recovery or rehabilitation plans yet. All of his family’s belongings have been lost with the earthquake. Earning opportunities in Swat have diminished greatly since it has been affected by disasters one after the other- growing militancy, military operation followed by 2010 devastating floods and now this massive earthquake.

Community World Service Asia’s team is currently doing the needs assessment in district Swat, Shangla, Malakand, Buner and Kohistan districts. The initial information received from the field team indicates that winterization support, food and health support are direly needed by the communities. Community World Service Asia will start its interventions within this week for the affected people to cover the gap identified during the assessment.

Collected by Waheed Murad, Community World Service Asia Staff

 

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“Floods make the poor, the poorest” – Mai Pathani (Gotkhi, Sindh)

Mai Pathani is a 50 year old housewife from the village of Nehal Chachar in Union Council (UC) Qadir Pur in Gotkhi, Sindh. Her husband is a barber named Khawand Buksh. The couple has four daughters and three sons together.  Mai Pathani has kept two goats to contribute to the household income since her husband’s income alone is insufficient for the family of nine.

CO-PIC-00034-15 (1)Before the floods hit their village this year, Khawand Buksh provided hair cutting bservices to the village residents and in return each of his clients paid him with wheat grains after each harvest. Some of his clients in the village also offered Buksh’s family food supplies.  However, this support was inconsistent.

Despite living in poverty and on limited resources, Mai Pathani’s zest for life was alive. She celebrated Eid with her neighbors and relatives in the village with enthusiasm not knowing the day to follow would leave her house and her village under water. Mai Pathani and the rest of the villagers were completely unaware of the coming rains when all of a sudden heavy showers started pouring in and within minutes flood water had entered the village.

The residents of Nehal Chachar were informed by authorities that the water level in their village would not rise and they could stay in the village without any worry. There had not been any major flooding in the area since 2010 so the villagers were quite confident about the safety of their village. However, on the night of 18th July, 2015, following Eid day, heavy showers of rain lasted the whole day with water overflowing from Indus River entering the village and submerging it completely. Mai Pathani’s family among many other villagers rushed to leave the flooded Nehal Chachar in the midst of the night. By this time the flood waters had risen up to five feet inside their homes.

Khawand Buksh’s limited income did not allow him to afford renting a boat to carry his family members along with their household essentials out of their plummeting village to the emergency evacuation area at Qadir Pur Band. Inevitably, the family took the risk of sailing out of the village on a large sized frying pan despite the continuing heavy rains and strong winds. Buksh’s family had used the same transport method to float out of their village during the 2010 floods as well. It took them almost an hour to reach the Loop Bund via the frying pan.

Watching an entire family floating in just a frying pan surrounded by nothing but water was quite terrifying for onlookers. However many could not see how Mai Pathani’s family was barely floating economically and socially as well. The family did not own any land or any sustainable assets to ensure their dietary sustenance. To add on, barbers and their families are often socially marginalized in communities in this area; the rigid class system denies such families an equal right to education and participation in social and political spheres.

Mai Pathani’s house and their preserved stock of 480 kgs of wheat had been washed away by the floods. Agricultural and domestic assets of other villagers who often supported their family were also destroyed. Temporarily living at a shelter in Qadirpur Bund, Khawand Buksh sometimes travels to the nearby town to find some clients for his barber service. If fortunate to find clients, he earns PKR 50 a day.   Earning this amount and sharing the meal bought by it with other affected families means that his own family hardly consumes a nutritional meal. The family is desperately struggling to make ends meet.

Previously when the floods had not yet hit this peaceful village, Mai Pathani’s family at least took two meals in a day; both the meals consisted of either pulses or vegetables but were sufficient for their family.  Since the advent of the floods however, the family’s meals reduced to one a day as pulses and vegetables were scarcely available.  Being a woman and coming from a socially marginalized background, the floods and the ensuing displacement has exposed Mai Pathani to not just apparent risks as food insecurity but also to many protection issues.

Being in a displaced setting, Mai Pathani and her two adolescent daughters have to wait the whole day to use the temporary constructed latrines.  They have to wait till its dark and there are no men around the latrine area. Pathani and Buksh’s youngest son used to attend school but since the village was hit by the floods, his education has been put on hold too. As a responsible mother and a devoted wife, Mai Pathani’s hardship and sacrifices do not end here. She first feeds her seven children and her husband and eats only if there is any food left over after they have consumed their meal.

Mai Pathani’s family was among the affected communities supported by Community World Service Asia’s Emergency Humanitarian assistance project for Floods Response in Gotkhi last month. She expressed that the food assistance by the organization has made a positive (suthu) impact on their lives. Before the emergency assistance was provided to them, the family only got to eat rice twice a week if lucky.  Whereas since the support from Community World Service Asia, they are eating rice more often in a week. The quantity and quality of their daily meals has since then improved as well. Now they have more supply of pulses and wheat bread which makes up a more nutritional meal for the family.

The Buksh family, more popularly known as “the floating family” now hope to return to their village and their home within the next two weeks. They are hoping the flood water levels will recede by then.  The committed Mai Pathani plans to help her husband in reconstructing their house once they return to their village. They are optimistic that they will reconstruct the house after a month once the land is fully dry. Though, belonging to a socially marginalized family, Mai Pathani and her husband do not have very high hopes for a drastic change in their life after returning home.

While other villagers will start sowing seeds in their crop fields, the floating family will wait for the harvest of the other farmers to share a small portion of their crop produce with them in return of Khawand Buksh’s barber services. Till then, Mai Pathani worries about the availability of sufficient food for her children. The worried mother envisages that if her children, including daughters, were equipped with some skills they would not have to depend entirely on the crop yields of others. Instead the family would earn and provide for themselves living in their own village.

Written By: Muhammad Fazil, Edited By: Palwashay Arbab

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A flood affected family and their house in Gotkhi, Sindh

Assistance to flood affected communities in Sindh and Punjab

 “Rains continues as the number of affected people crossed 1.5 million figure Across Pakistan”

 8th September 2015

Background

The flood emergency in Pakistan has affected the lives, livelihood and health of hundreds of communities across the country. The rains that started in the third week of July this year continued with short intervals. The heavy showers of rain coupled with glacial melts that led to lake outbursts created havoc among the communities living along the river beds in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KPK), Punjab and Sindh Provinces. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) latest update, the number of affected people has crossed the 1.5 million figures and still counting. Sindh remained the worse affected of all the provinces as the number of affected people in Sindh province alone is reported to be under a million. So far 1,529,189 people have been affected leading to 220 deaths and 189 injuries.

The prevailing high temperatures in northern areas combined with rainfall may trigger flash floods in Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral which is further expected to result in heavy inflows into the local rivers and streams of northern areas. Owing to the current meteorological conditions, the Sindh province being on the tail end of the country is most vulnerable to further damage as all the water from the glacier melts, rains and floods is expected to flow south.

Impact of the Floods:

Sindh:  Seven districts and around 3,157 villages have been affected by the floods in Sindh so far. The affected districts in Sindh include Kashmore, Gothki, Shikarpur, Khairpur, Sukur, Qambar Shahdadkot and Sujawal (Thatta). In Sindh alone 958,694 people have been affected and the number is still increasing as the low lying areas are now receiving flood waters flowing in from the upper parts of the country. Due to the geographical situation of the Sujawal (Thatta) district, the area is expected to receive more flood water and more villages of the district are expected to be affected in the coming days.

Punjab: At least 58 people have died and 11 are reported to be injured due to heavy rains and flood emergency in the Punjab Province. A total of 586 villages in Mianwali, Layyah, DG Khan, Rajanpur, Rahimyarkhan and Muzaffargarh districts are inundated by the floods. In total, 463,902 people have been reported to be affected in the province. Rajanpur is declared as the most affected district in Punjab where the local government declared emergency for urgent relief. A total of 256,000 people have been affected by floods in three Tehsils of district Rajanpur where there is a huge need of clean drinking water and sanitation along with hygiene promotion.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK): Fourteen districts have been affected by the floods in KPK whereas 102 people have reportedly died and 108 injured. A reported 3,977 houses have been damaged of which 684 have been completely destroyed. The affected districts in KPK include Abbotabad, Bannu, Batagram, Charsadda, Chitral, DI Khan, Hangu, Karak, Kohat, Lakki Marwat, Mansehra, Peshawar, Swat and Shangla.

Gilgit-Baltistan:

Diamer, Gilgit, Ghizar, Ghanche, Skardu and Hunza districts in this region have been reported to be severely damaged. A total of 286 villages and 812 houses are reported damaged as a result of rains, landslides and flashfloods. This has left seven people dead and an overall 35,717 people affected.  A number of roads and connecting bridges have also been washed away that have left many villages disconnected from the urban centres.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK):

Districts Sudhnoti, Neelam, Havaili and Bhimber of AJK have been reported to be severely affected by the recent rains and flash floods which have resulted in the death of 26 people, damaged 17 villages and 408 houses completely.

Baluchistan: Heavy rainfall, windstorm and the resulting floods in districts Zhob, Musakhel, Killa Saifullah, Kohlu and Dera Bugti of Baluchistan has damaged flood protection bunds, electric poles, roads and has uprooted many trees and plantations. The floods have also caused ruptures at various points in the protection bunds and has claimed four lives so far. A total of 16 people have died so far while 34 others have been reported injured. On the whole, 69,976 people are affected in this province and 1,176 houses damaged.

FATA: A reported 11 people have died and 13 have been injured in Khyber and Mohamand agencies of Federally Administered Tribal Areas due to the floods. A total of 424 houses and 19 villages have been damaged across the FATA region which has resulted in affecting around 900 people.

Pakistan ACT Forum Response:

Community World Service Asia has started responding in two districts of Ghotki and Sujawal to the recent flood crisis in Sindh Province. Under its planned assistance, 3,223 flood affected families have been assisted with one month food rations. As per the findings of the assessment of Community World Service Asia team, a number of districts in Sindh are already affected and thousands of more are displaced who are in dire need of food, non-food items (NFIs) and health assistance. The Community World Service Asia team is also assessing the additional emergency and early recovery needs of the communities.

NCA has started emergency response through its partner Sungi in Rajanpur (Punjab) to reach a total of 15,000 flood affected individuals by utilizing their own of 600,000 NOK, The interventions will be carried out in UC jahanpur, UC Hajipur and UC noorpur in Rajanpur district. NCA has installed two water treatment units and have started to deliver water to 10,000 individuals. The Third water treatment unit will be installed and operational by end of this week and water will be transported though water trucks which is expected to fulfill the water needs of an additional 5000 individuals. NCA has its own WASH stock that includes 4000 jerry cans, 93000 aqua tabs and 857 emergency hygiene kits that will be distributed in community.

NCA Pakistan also plans to reach 4,500 individuals through WASH by utilizing ACT appeal grant of 60,000 USD starting from 15th of September 2015 and will end on 15th of February 2016. Through ACT appeal NCA will be reaching to same individuals in areas of their origin. The interventions will include construction of 100 improved sanitation facilities, installation and rehabilitation of 45 hand pumps, distribution of 100 hygiene kits and hygiene promotion.

For more information on the appeal, please refer to the following links:

ACT Appeal Pak 151
Funding Status

Contacts:
Allan A. Calma

Deputy Director – Disaster Management Program

Community World Service Asia

allan@cwspa.org.pk

Cell: +92 301 5801621

 James John

Deputy Country Representative

Norwegian Church Aid (NCA)

Email: james.john@nca.no

Cell: +92 345 8551289

 

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Shaink Bund is the central bund (levee) that protects the Qadir pur union council from the threatening flood waters. Qadirpur Union council is a part of district Ghotki in the Sindh province. As the water levels rise, the water from the Shaink bund flows to the other two bunds, Loop bund and Qadirpur bund. There are around thirty five villages located in between Shaink bund and the two bunds. When water in the Shaink bund overflows to the other two bunds, the villages located in between are heavily flooded. The residents of these villages struggle to survive by seeking immediate refuge at the Loop and Qadirpur bunds.

Mae Husna is a 45 years old mother of six living with her ill husband in village Nihal Goth, situated in the middle of the bunds. Her family is among those who have been displaced to the Loop bund for safety.  Nihal Goth, situated at a 500 meters distance from Loop bund is only a kilometer away from the river bank which is why it is among the most affected villages as the bund overflows. Most of the houses in the village have sank to almost 90 percent under the flood water. These houses have become unfit to live in even after the water levels go down.

Remember the horrifying day of when the flood came, Mae Husna mournfully narrated the experience,

“The water levels had started increasing on the night before Eid. The water had started flowing into our house heavily so we had to leave our house soon after offering Eid prayers early morning. Our only aim was to save our lives and leave everything else and our home as it was. We were given no early warnings about the floods.”

Her husband being unable to work due to his illness, Mae Husna is the sole bread winner for the family. Of her five daughters, three have been married off so they live on their own with their husbands while the younger two daughters have been sent to a relative’s house to be in a safer environment. The mother could forsee the protection issues her teenage daughters would have had to face in such uncertain living conditions at the embankment.  Having no biological son of her own, Mae Husna adopted her only son from her relatives who is with her and her husband at the Loop bund these days.

The flood affected communities in Qadirpur UC are facing grave water, sanitation and health and hygiene issues. They have no food to cook for themselves or utensils to cook with. They are living without shelters. Drinking water is brought from a two kilometers distant village. Diseases such as   diarrhea among children, malaria, high fever and skin infections have been reported at a rise.

Community World Service Asia along with its local partner in Sindh, Transformation and Reflection for Rural Development (TRD) have identified and selected hundred most vulnerable flood affected families taking refuge at Loop bund in district Ghotki. These selected families have been distributed one month food rations. The food package has been designed for a household of six members, which is the average household size in the province. The items in the food package include 65Kgs of wheat flour, 15kgs of rice, 8 kgs of pulses, 4 kgs of sugar, 6 liters of oil, 800 grams of iodized salt, 400 grams of black tea leaves and a match box.

Based on the selection criteria of the most vulnerable families, Mai Husna and her family has been selected for the emergency food assistance. After receiving the food ration she expressed,

“Life cannot be the same all the time, but it is good that an organization such as Community World Service Asia is here to help troubled people like us in such difficult times.”

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Photo credits: Saleem Dominic

Floods 2015 (Joint Update)

f15map

The ongoing flood emergency is continuing to adversely affect the lives and livelihoods of thousands of communities all across Pakistan and its AJK state. The rains that started in the mid of July have continued for weeks disrupting the lives of many communities. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) have reported 917,791 people as affected; 173 deaths and 127 injuries owing to the devastating floods. In Sindh, the rainfall leading to floods has affected the Katcha area of the six districts however it is anticipated that the floods will drift down to the low lying districts of the province as well.

Damage statistics caused by the floods in the country are indicated in the table below:

Province Deaths Injured Houses Damaged Villages Affected Population Affected
AJ&K 22 5 237 17 –
Baluchistan 13 33 798 – –
Gilgit Baltistan 7 6 812 286 136,000
KPK 83 70 3,320 – –
Punjab 48 13 2,025 496 362,863
Sindh – – – 2,097 418,928
Total 173 127 7,192 2,896 917,791

Government authorities have predicted an increase in flooding particularly in Sindh in the upcoming days as heavy monsoon rains are continuing, thus increasing flood water levels in Kabul, Indus, Jhelum and Chenab rivers. The persistent melting of glaciers in Diamer district are further adding to the rise in river waters. The authorities have warned of massive destructions in interior Sindh in the coming weeks when flood water from all of over the country is expected to pass through catchment districts of Indus River in the Sindh province.

Following is a brief overview of the impact the recent flash floods have had on the different provinces of Pakistan so far:

Sindh:  Six districts have been severely affected by the floods in Sindh so far and the number of the affected villages is expected to increase rapidly in the following days. The affected districts in Sindh include Kashmore, Gothki, Shikarpur, Khairpur, Sukur and Qambar Shahdadkot.  The displaced communities have no choice but to live in tents under open skies on embankments and elevated areas in the affected districts. Anticipating displacement from these districts the government has established relief camps at various embankments.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Eleven districts of the KPK province have been affected by the floods and a lot  more damage is expected in the near future due to the unending monsoon rains, land sliding, melting of glaciers and increase in flood level in Kabul and Indus rivers. The affected districts in KPK include Bannu, Batagram, Charsadda, Chitral, DI Khan, Karak, Kohat, Lakki Marwat, Peshawar, Swat and Shangla. However Nowshera and Charsadda are at a higher risk because of the mounting pressure being caused in Kabul River due to the continuing rains.

Gilgit-Baltistan: Diamer, Gilgit, Ghizar, Ghanche, Skardu and Hunza districts have been reported to be severely damaged. A number of roads and connecting bridges have been washed away leaving many villages disconnected from the main towns.

AJK: District Sudhnoti, Neelam, Havaili and Bhimber have been reported to have been affected by the rains and flash floods in 17 villages in the region.

Punjab: Almost 500 villages in Mianwali, Layyah, DG Khan, Rajanpur, Rahimyarkhan and Muzaffargarh districts are left inundated by the floods. Agricultural land spread across 378,172 acres of land have also been destroyed.

Baluchistan: Heavy rainfall, windstorms and the inevitable floods have left districts Zhob, Musakhel, Killa Saifullah, Kohlu and Dera Bugti severely damaged; flood protection bunds, electricity poles, roads, plantations have been impaired. The floods have caused breaches at various locations in the protection bunds claiming four lives so far.

FATA: A number of villages and houses have been reported as damaged in the Khyber and Mohmand agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. However, exact figures are yet to be reported by the authorities and the national media.

Response by Act Alliance: Community World Service Asia’s project teams are present in KPK, Sindh and Punjab provinces as well as in Azad Jamu & Kashmir. Sindh, positioned on the tail-end of Indus River, is one of the most flood-prone provinces. A number of districts in Sindh are already affected and the thousands of people displaced are in need of food, non-food items (NFIs) and health assistance. Community World Service Asia’s team in Sindh has carried out assessments and has also completed the distribution of monthly food packages to 100 flood affected families. The assistance is to be continued as 2,221 additional families will receive monthly food packages in the coming weeks. Community World Service Asia will also establish a water treatment plant in district Ghotki which will provide treated, clean drinking water to approximately 5,000 flood affected people on a daily basis for a month. Provision of Emergency Health Services has also been proposed in district Ghotki.

Our partner, NCA’s WASH team have also completed an assessment in Punjab and Sindh. In Sindh province, NCA has jointly assessed the situation in district Ghotki together with Community World Service Asia focusing on WASH, health and livelihoods. NCA’s assessment covers Layyah, Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur districts in Punjab province and Ghotki, and Kashmore districts in Sindh province.  The assessment team has conducted a rapid survey using semi-structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, FGDs and interviews with government stakeholders to gather important information on access, vulnerability, coping capacity, available resources and existing key risks. The assessment has been compiled.

As part of NCA’s emergency preparedness plan, the organization is mobilizing its pre-positioned mobile Water Treatment Units (WTUs) for immediate use. Each unit can purify and provide clean drinking water to 5,000 individuals based on SPHERE standards. Keeping in view the urgent needs and NCA’s life saving response capacity, it is utilizing its internal funds (through their head office) to provide emergency funds to immediately mobilize the WTUs. As planned for this response, six WTUs will provide water to alteast 30,000 individuals at this crucial stage. The budgeted amount is calculated for a three months response.

Contacts:
Allan A. Calma
Deputy Director
Disaster Management Program
Email: allan.calma@communityworldservice.asia
Cell: +92 301 5801621

Muhammad Fazal
Associate Director
Emergencies/DRR/Climate Change
Email: fazil.sardar@communitryworldservice.asia
Cell: +92 332 5586134

Palwashay Arbab
Head of Communications
Email: palwashay.arbab@communityworldservice.asia
Ph: +92 42 3586 5338

Sources:
www.ndma.gov.pk
www.pmd.gov.pk

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Communities seek safety on higher ground of river embankments as their homes are flooded
Village organization planning emergency evacuation as part of a DRR training in Thatta.
Village organization planning emergency evacuation as part of a DRR training in Thatta.

Heavy rains have been severely affecting communities in Union Council Bijora, District Thatta, in the Sindh province of Pakistan.  Community World Service Asia has been present in the area since the devastating flooding in 2010, and continues to run health and livelihoods projects.  As part of an initiative funded by Christian Aid, Community World Service Asia is supporting the livelihoods of community members through vocational training and literacy classes for women, and community mobilization for disaster preparedness.

Thatta is an extremely flood-prone area, and flooding presents a serious hazard to the wellbeing and livelihoods of the local population. The destruction of crops, livestock and property results in significant losses and lead to the accumulation of debt and continuing poverty for already vulnerable households.  The recent monsoon rains have left 25 to 35 families homeless, rendered pathways between villages inaccessible and heavily impacted the earnings of people who rely on agricultural labor for their wages.  A lack of safe drinking water has also caused illnesses such as vomiting and diarrhea, which are particularly dangerous for young children, and especially so in a situation of food insecurity when many children are already malnourished.

Since 2013, Community World Service Asia has been conducting disaster risk reduction (DRR) trainings for community members and establishing village organizations to mobilize the community and facilitate them in disaster preparedness.  These organizations have undertaken a variety of key DRR initiatives, including the establishment of a community-based early warning system, based on regular and close monitoring of radio reports, hazard assessments and regular coordination and communication throughout the community.  They have conducted evacuation drills and have formed Emergency Rescue Teams to be ready for, and activated in, an emergency situation.

This value of this preparation became clear when the heavy rainfall began to affect the area, as the village organizations and community members promptly began coordination and activated the rescue teams to evacuate villagers to safety on the high ground of the embankment.

The village organizations are also coordinating with local authorities, utilizing the contacts that were provided during Community World Service Asia’s trainings. This had resulted in the district coordinator coming to inspect the situation of the village, and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority providing tents to shelter the displaced families.

The pro-active response of the community has demonstrated the effectiveness of the training methodologies. More importantly it has shown the importance of empowering the community to take ownership of its preparedness, and engaging the local population in efforts to reduce the risks posed by flooding.

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