Pakistan: SINDH FLOOD 2011
Flash Appeal
Sindh Monsoon Floods-2011
16 September 2011
New World Hope Organization (NWHO) CB-94, Land Mohabbat Abad, Barrier No.2 Wah Cantt, Pakistan, 47040
Ph No: +92-514-329105 Fax No: +92-514-543317 E-Mail: [email protected] Web: www.newworldhope.org
TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ...... 1 Background of the Flood Crisis and its Humanitarian Aftermath ...... 2 Current Conditions and Response ...... 2 Humanitarian Intervention & Needs Analysis ...... 2 Food And NFIs Relief ...... 2 Sanitation & Hygiene ...... 2 Vulnerabilities Classification in Areas of Agriculture, Livelihood and Food Security ...... 3 Health and Nutrition ...... 4 Water & Sanitation ...... 4 Shelter and NFIs ...... 5 Education ...... 5 The NWHO Intervention ...... 6 Flash Flood’ Early Rescue & Recovery Appeal………………………………………………7 Executive Summary
It has been a year since the historically devastating monsoonal rains hit Pakistan in 2010 and it looks like its de je vu all over again with most parts of the Sindh province enduring record breaking floods ever since the beginning of August. These heavy rains have not only affected those flood victims finally returning home, but have also put lives of thousands of others at high risk. What is more alarming is the fact that the current disaster has collectively brought the already exhausted resources and coping strategies closer to utter depletion.
16 Sep 2011, According to the National Disaster Management Authority Pakistan & Provincial Disaster Management Authority Sindh, the 2011 torrential rains have left 6,006,545 people (858,077families) in complete desolation, with as many as 389 deaths occurring in 23 districts of Sindh. The situation has become all the more depressing with the Government creating merely a handful of relief camps – only 2,737 camps in 23 districts. Keeping in view the long drawn-out efforts of the Government, a large number of flood victims have already moved to safer areas without any assistance or support. Moreover, the Government and other agencies have literally no data or statistics available for the remaining districts. There is minimal or no humanitarian support whatsoever, with the victims keenly awaiting public and private intervention necessary in building damaged, broken down houses, ruined crops and no means of livelihood.
Almost all the districts in Sindh have suffered from the current catastrophic rains but the worst hit population is located in the ten districts of Badin, Khairpur, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, S.Benazirabad (Nawabshah), Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tharparkar, Thatta and Umerkot. More than 1,388,331 houses have been left damaged in these districts and the primary means of livelihood through agricultural production utterly destroyed. This has in turn intensified food insecurity in the entire Sindh province.
Torrential rains hit Badin, S.Benazirabad (Nawabshah) and Khairpur the worst
It is a testing time for the worn-out Government who is already facing politic-economic issues of the country. Buckling under immense pressure from home woes and abroad, the Government has officially requested for relief assistance from the United Nations.
After all-encompassing assessments carried out at the grassroots level as well as meetings with government officials at district level, the NWHO team has categorized urgent needs of the victims by grading them in priority levels for food security, shelter and non-food items, health and nutrition, water-sanitation-hygiene, and education. These levels are based on essential humanitarian requirements of the flood and affected districts.
This Appeal is primarily striving to gain active as well as productive involvement of national and international organizations in a bid to assist the flood-hit people of Sindh.
Considering the fact that it is still raining in many parts of the affected districts, the extent of destruction and total figure of those falling victim by this natural calamity is increasing day by day. A revised version of this Appeal will be given after an in-depth analysis. This Appeal
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will be made available within the next three weeks and will mirror basic requirements needed as they develop in time.
Background of the Flood Crisis and its Humanitarian Aftermath
Current Conditions and Response
The monsoon squalls have been occurring in the Sindh province since the beginning of August 2011. These rains only intensified as days went by, resulting in a flood that submerged millions of hectares of fertile land in water. Monsoon is traditionally a climatic system of bringing heavy rainfall in certain areas. According to the Meteorology Department report, Sindh has gone through the highest, record-breaking levels of downpour. The PDMA reports that this was the most acute flooding in the history of the province where all the 23 districts are in a catastrophic situation, including Badin, Khairpur, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, S. Benazirabad (Nawabshah), Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tharparkar, Thatta and Umerkot which are said to be hit the hardest.
At the height of the flooding, with strained local resources and a cash-strapped Government, it was the United Nations that stepped in after being officially asked to help provide relief support. Response has been little as far as other various relief groups are concerned except for the distribution of cooked food in some areas by the government.
Humanitarian Intervention & Needs Analysis
One of the leading humanitarian organizations actively participating to provide relief in Sindh, the New World Hope Organization has mobilized its staff to provide an exhaustive and comprehensive evaluation of the flood stricken districts. The assessment will in turn help in providing speedy aid to specific and most vulnerable areas. This evaluation has revealed that quick humanitarian aid is requisite for:
• FOOD AND NFIs RELIEF: The flood has irrevocably destroyed food crops and market supplies are fast draining thus this area needs urgent attention.
• SANITATION & HYGIENE: Water contamination is not a possibility but a reality considering the fact that millions of hectares of land have been submerged under water and basic infrastructure such as roads and sanitation facilities destroyed.
Ten districts with the highest percentage of displaced flood victims ( Statistics and number of dislocated victims will increase with the rains still continuing].
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It is important to note that data gathered by the assessment team does not conform and varies from that given by the Government.
S. no District Persons Persons in Houses Damaged Affected Relief Camps Partially Fully 01 Badin 1,021,301 77,363 172,155 210,407
02 Khairpur 927,953 - 7,138 4,291 03 Mirpur Khas 705,151 57,269 30,627 87,483 04 Sanghar 477,523 145,629 78,118 44,585 05 S. Benazirabad 900,000 55,839 - - (Nawabshah) 06 Tando Allahyar 253,982 35,294 24,096 3,601 07 Tando Muhammad 267,368 7,029 24,200 26,600 Khan 08 Tharparkar 127,454 17,443 10,821 4,637 09 Thatta 178,151 1,640 11,325 - 10 Umerkot 323,448 58,246 94,172 96,543 TOTAL 5,182,331 455,752 452,652 478,147
(Source: NDMA, as of 16 Sep 2011)
Vulnerabilities Classification in Areas of Agriculture, Livelihood and Food Security
It is a trying time for the people of Sindh, both displaced currently as well as by the 2010 floods. People in the affected areas find it overwhelming to withstand the crises due to its magnitude. Getting back to their lives, earning sustained livelihood through farming is now challenge because of the devastating impact the flood has left upon infrastructure, farming capabilities in food production and income generation. All these elements lead to massive food insecurity. In order to provide a full-scale early recovery, it is of utmost importance to prevent a short- term hunger predicament by giving aid in terms of food to the displaced people.
Crops like cotton, paddy and sugarcane are destroyed by being inundated with flood water. Early assessments suggest over 2,049,023 acres of cultivable land has been destroyed which is more than 90% of already farmed land.
The flood has affected cash crops, paddy and cotton, in such a way that there is no possibility of its recovery. Other fruits and vegetables have also been ruined by this natural calamity. As
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a result there is marked price hike in food items – an 80% increase – and other commodities. Apprehension looms large with a high probability of next year’s harvest being severely compromised. Significant livestock losses, particularly in the ten mentioned districts have been reported.
Health and Nutrition
During the monsoon season, breakouts of epidemics and water-borne diseases are inevitable. Utmost care and quick initiatives is essential to drain out stagnant water and remove people from such areas to a more suitable and healthy environment. Ironically, the current situation is such that evaluating teams could not find any medical assistance for people living in relief camps. Patients can only lament and complain about their conditions and the total lack of medical care. Swift remedial attention and checkups in terms of health and nutrition are pre- requisites. This can be achieved by creating mobile clinics and establishment of medical camps which can be easily accessible to people. Other relief essentials are medical supplies that include medicines, maternity and hygiene kits and energy biscuits. Ambulances are also needed in order to help provide emergency referral services.
Moreover, a plan of action should be formulated whereby information on health diseases, hygiene and sanitation through health campaigns can be disseminated. This strategy should also enforce an early warning system in case of natural calamities to avoid outbreaks of epidemics and implement food supply activities. Immediate mobilization of communities will also help prevent diseases and infections.
Water & Sanitation
Around 200,000 families need immediate assistance to access water fit for drinking and cooking. More than 500,000 families are at risk from water-borne diseases due to contamination in a majority of drinking water sources. In the Water & Sanitation area, hygienic and sanitized facilities should be set up that contain emergency water supplies for the temporary evacuation centers. A few or no toilets can be found in relief camps and it is therefore highly important to build temporary toilets for the displaced people.
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Shelter and NFIs
The 2011 flood have displaced over 858,077 families who may need immediate assistance in shelter provision as well as NFI relief. It is expected that more than 57,142 families in camps and host families will require such assistance. It has also been reported that most families have not yet left their homes and may eventually require shelter.
Basic amenities of life such as clothing, anti-mosquito equipment and repellents, electricity supplies and cooking-ware are urgently needed by both the displaced and those who provide relief to them. Risk management and containment, as concerns basic health and welfare of a family, is essential.
Education
With an estimated 100,000 students currently unable to pursue education, approximately 1,000 schools are now being occupied by people displaced by the flood or have either closed down due to heavy damages. Furthermore, students have also lost essential schooling items such as books, uniforms and other learning material. This along-with a total disruption and dislocation of life and property has left the children and teachers in a state of despair.
Current State of Affairs: Food Insecurity in all the affected districts
01 Center elements Heightened food uncertainty due to destroyed crops and loss of livelihoods
Effects on humanitarian needs and operations Compromised food quality and quantity Increased malnutrition which may result in worsening morbidity and mortality Increased dependence on food relief Price hike of a 100% or even more for basic foods and commodities Decreased number of strategies for dealing with vulnerable and poorest segment of the population. 02 Center elements Heavy infrastructure wreckage prevents relief from reaching remote flood-affected populations due to inaccessibility
Effects on humanitarian needs and operations Disruption to on-going health prevention and education campaigns, including immunizations Floods obstruct on-going humanitarian and development activities
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Prolonged disruption of critical services (power, water and sanitation, health and education) 03 Center elements No permanent strategy for the displaced people residing relief centers
Effects on humanitarian needs and operations A delay and disruption in schooling activities due to the creation of relief centers within the premises Worsening health concerns in displacement centers Magnified security concerns and threat of sexual and gender-based violence 04 Center elements Contamination of water sources by flood waters
Effects on humanitarian needs and operations Non-availability of clean drinking water Effects on sanitation and hygiene results in a decreased water quality and contamination, which abets disease and infections.
The NWHO Intervention
The New World Hope Organization, one of the leading Humanitarian Organization has mobilized their staff and volunteers for in-depth assessment of the most affected districts. The teams’ fundamental aim is to direct a process based on priority areas and provide targeted assistance to the most vulnerable areas. After a comprehensive evaluation, it was conclude to give support in the following areas:
• Vulnerabilities classification in areas of Agriculture, Livelihood and Food Security • Health & Nutrition • Water & Sanitation • Shelter & NFI’s • Education
The team at NWHO has been given a high alert to monitor flood warning attentively. We are in the process of gathering information on all and every possibility of evacuation in concerned areas. The team is also preparing a list of essentials such food, water and medicine. A response is already in effect by the NWHO and will continue its flood and need evaluation process.
The NWHO is presently distributing 1,000 food items, hygiene kits, portable drinking water and family ration packs. The organization is also supplying water purifier tablets to the most vulnerable families in Badin and Mirpurkhas districts of the Sindh province. We have also established a medical clinic in Badin. For more information about Pakistan Flood Relief Projects 2011, please visit our Web site.
Further donations are graciously welcome and needed by the NWHO for the welfare of flood affected people. The NWHO strives to enhance and improve the suffering community.
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FLASH FLOOD’ EARLY RESCUE & RECOVERY APPEAL! FOR AFFECTEES IN PAKISTAN
We humbly appeal to the entire humanity to donate medicines, water purification tablets, safe drinking water, clothes, food, tents/temporary shelters, hygiene kits, mosquito nets and repellents, kitchen utensils, plastic mats, children toys and day to day essential items. You can also donate cash to our account number. Please visit our website for more information.
Immediate aid for the flood victims will help improve their situation and overcome difficulties. This will strengthen displaced people to carry on with their lives till they return back to their homes and lend them the support they so desperately need.
NWHO Appeals to the International Community, humanitarian organizations and kind hearted individuals to come forward and help the marginalized communities of Sindh, Pakistan.
Please donate us your DONATIONS to help the families affected by this disaster.
FOR Donations in Pak Rupees: NWH Pakistan Rupee (Rs) Bank Account Title of Account. New World Hope Society Account No. CD-1735-6 Branch Code Taxila 0164
Bank Name. The Bank of Punjab General Bus Stop, Taxila, Pakistan Swift Code No. BPUNPKKAA014
FOR Donations in US Dollars:
NWH USD ($) Bank Account Title of Account. New World Hope Society Account No. 1220067-1 Branch Code 0104 Bank Name. United Bank Limited (UBL) Bank Square, Aslam Market, The Mall, Wah Cantt Branch, Wah Cantt, District Rawalpindi, Pakistan Swift Code No. UNILPKKA
For further enquiries, please contact us
New World Hope Organization (NWHO) CB-94, Land Mohabbat Abad, Barrier No.2 Wah Cantt, Pakistan, 47040
Ph No: +92-514-329105 Website: www.newworldhope.org Fax No: +92-514-543317 Email Address: [email protected]
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