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District Sialkot’s Post Flood Rapid Assessment Good Thinkers Organization for Human Development About This Report This report presents an overview of flood 2014 in Pakistan with a particular focus on scenario of district Sialkot (Punjab Province). The key findings in report are derived from Post Flood Rapid Assessment conducted by a non-government organization namely Good Thinkers Organization for Human Development. Along with using available authentic secondary data, the assessment team collected relevant information by interviewing a) flood-stricken people, b) focal persons from key departments of district government/administration, c) local media personnel, d) workers of rescue and relief departments/agencies, e) local activists and volunteers, and f) representatives of local civil society organizations. Brief Demography of Sialkot Sialkot is one of big districts of Punjab in the north-east side at the foothills of the snow-covered peaks of Kashmir near the Chenab River. It is situated in north-west of Lahore with a distance of about 125 kilometers and only a few kilometers from Indian-controlled Jammu. The district spreads over an area of 3,061 square kilometers. Its total estimated population is 4,017,821; whereas rural population is 2,965,481 (74%) and urban population is 1,052,340 (26%). The district consists of four tehsils namely Sialkot, Daska, Pasrur and Sambrial. Similarly it comprises on 129 union councils with a total of 1,431 revenue villages (Mouzas). It is situated at an altitude of 829 feet above sea level. It stretches from Ravi valley on the south- east to the Chenab River on the north-west. River Chenab separates it from Gujrat district. About Good Thinkers Organization for Human Development Good Thinkers Organization for Human Development is non-for profit, non-political, non-religious and non-government organization which has been striving hard for social uplift of underprivileged communities regardless of any discrimination. It is legally registered with government of the Punjab through directorate of social welfare under Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control Ordinance, 1961). Since its inception in 2001, the organization has played an inspiring role towards development of people in province Punjab. It has been pursuing its vision by undertaking a ray of activities in line with its strategic objectives. So far it has played a remarkable role in improving lives of downtrodden communities by fostering economic empowerment, building capacities, promoting human rights, raising awareness, promoting environmental sustainability, delivering basic services, helping out in emergencies and discouraging gender disparity. It has been further leaping forward to empower citizens by establishing networks particularly for community and youth, exploring new avenues for development, and enabling people particularly marginalized communities to make them self-reliant. (For more information about this organization, please visit www.gtopak.org) 1. Flood Situation in Country (Particularly in Punjab Province) Pakistan, by virtue of its unique geographical layout is susceptible to a number of hazards. Amongst these flood is the most recurrent one. Its frequency and effects have significantly hampered country’s goal of sustained economic growth. Over the past 67 years, Pakistan has suffered a cumulative financial loss of more than US$37.554 billion with around 11,572 people having lost their lives and a total area of 603,942 square kilometer affected due to 21 major flood events1. The on-going flood 2014 is the fifth in series of colossal floods after 1973, 1988, 1992 and 2010 floods. Owing to global climate change, there has been a remarkable increase in frequency of floods and variation in monsoon behaviour in the country. Late monsoon rains earlier this month hit the mountainous areas of Gilgit-Balitstan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir, unleashing a torrent of water flowing into Punjab’s agricultural heartlands and Sindh thereafter (these days). Swollen River Chenab has breached flood defenses along with sweeping away thousands of villages as this “super-flood” surged south, wreaking havoc in Punjab and Sindh, the country’s most populous and agricultural provinces. Although flood water has now entered in Sindh (River Indus); however it has rendered unrecoverable loss of lives, health, livestock, houses, crops and other property of people in Punjab at a huge scale. During this flood, a large area of Punjab has been affected. As a result thousands of people have been displaced and hundreds of thousands are at risk. Unfortunately during this flood, some of the areas affected are those which have never faced such circumstances. These areas include Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Mandi Bahauddin, Narowal, Sialkot, Jhang, Chiniot and Multan. This flood is therefore said to be the worst and the disastrous of the Pakistan’s history. It is expected that a huge crisis including lack of food and health related issues will be faced in these districts. In Punjab province, the flood and accompanied by torrential rains has wreaked a colossal damage to human life, health and property (particularly crops, livestock and houses). According to the daily situation reports of National Disaster Management Authority, near 269 people have been died and 465 are injured in Punjab due to flood and rains2. Approximately 41,388 houses were ravaged and 3,090 villages were submerged. The affected people had to face loss of 1,307 livestock died/drowned amid this flood/rain season. Farmers lost 2,344,173 acres of crops and have become helpless as agriculture was main source to earn bread and butter for their families. Around 3,090 villages are reported submerged and badly hit by this overwhelming catastrophe. In general, a total of estimated 1,735,893 persons were affected by these floods and rains by one or other way. Education sector is also badly affected by this disaster. According to a recent report prepared by the Punjab School Education Department and share with Provincial Disaster Management Authority, around 1,854 government schools have been fully or partially damaged (excluding private schools)3. Please refer to annexure 1 for district- wise flood related statistics of Punjab. 1 National Monsoon Contingency Plan 2014 available at http://www.ndma.gov.pk/new/Documents/moonsoon2014.pdf 2 http://www.ndma.gov.pk/new/Documents/sitrep-21-9-14.pdf 3 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-7-272791-Floods-damage-1854-schools-across-Punjab 2. A Snapshot of Flood and its Devastation in District Sialkot In start of September 2014, the Flood Forecasting Division of Pakistan issued a flood warning to all the concerned government departments of Sialkot putting them on red alert and asked them to make all the necessary arrangements on emergency grounds to avert the recurring flood disaster in Sialkot district. This is because a high level flood was expected in River Chinab, River Tawi, Nullah Aik, Nullah Dek and Nullah Palkhu. This flood forecast proved very much accurate. Eventually on 4th of September, the roaring flood came with its full power and caused a widespread devastation everywhere. The flood was highly overwhelming with up to more than 660,000 cusec of water and water level of four-to-five feet. Although devastation and havoc was prevailing in many areas of district; however as many as 85 far off Bajwat bordering villages remained cut off from rest of Sialkot district due to flash floods in overflowing River Chenab, River Tawi and River Jammu Munaawar. Hundreds of people were lying stranded there in Bajwat villages, and were difficult to reach. This was considerably tough and dangerous for rescue teams to evacuate and provide relief to those persons. According to the daily situation reports regularly shared by National Disaster Management Authority, 37 people have been died and 23 were injured in district due to flood and continuous rains. The affected people had to face loss of 114 livestock died/drowned amid this flood/rain season. Farmers lost 53,639 acres of crops and have become helpless as agriculture was main source to earn bread and butter for their families. Around 190 villages are reported submerged and badly hit by this overwhelming catastrophe. In general, a total of estimated 83,000 people were affected by these floods and rains by one or other way. More than 1,835 houses were fully or partially damaged rendering people to live without proper houses or in homes of their relatives. Among these houses 90 were completely destroyed while 170 were partially damaged. Education sector is also badly affected by this disaster. According to a recent report prepared by the Punjab School Education Department with shared with Provincial Disaster Management Authority, around 102 government schools have been fully or partially damaged. However the interviewed people shared that loss is greater than these statistics4. Please refer to annexure 1 for tabular statistics of flood in Sialkot. However there is dissimilarity in between above reported statistics and findings of our assessment. According to our sources/respondents and information collected, the loss (caused by flood) is greater than above reported statistics. Findings of our assessment reveal that nearly 550 villages of 48 union councils are hit by flood, around 125,000 families are affected. Similarly 1,200 livestock animals are perished, and approximately 22,800 acres of land is destroyed where crops of basmati rice and sugarcane mainly were cultivated. In general, estimated 750,000 persons are affected through one or other way. Flood-affected people’s system of life has been paralyzed rendering people in state of trauma. Sources of income and assets of people have been destroyed, and many of the people are now looking for external assistance enabling them to resume their lives. 4 http://www.ndma.gov.pk/new/Documents/sitrep-21-9-14.pdf 3. Preparedness and Response to Flood in Sialkot Past four consecutive years of flooding in Pakistan has strengthened the need for integrated plans for better disaster management.

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