Contents Acronyms
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Climate Change and Natural Disasters in Pakistan Contents Acronyms ...........................................................................................1 Acknowledgment ..............................................................................2 Chairperson’s Note ............................................................................3 Chief Executive’s Note .......................................................................4 Chapter -1 News Items ......................................................................5 Chapter-2 Articles ......................................................................... 194 Pakistan is Again Hit by Devastating Floods ................................. 195 Effects of Climate Change ............................................................ 198 The Emergency the World Forgot ................................................ 201 Rains Wrought Havoc on Historical Sites ..................................... 205 Strange Ways of the Islamic Republic .......................................... 209 Pakistan Must Turn to Aquaculture ............................................. 213 Flood-hit Dalits Facing Hunger and Prejudice .............................. 216 Chapter-3 Editorials ...................................................................... 218 When Water Hits .......................................................................... 219 Stormy Days ................................................................................. 220 Open Skies .................................................................................... 222 Disaster in Sindh ........................................................................... 223 The Flood Muddle ........................................................................ 225 No let-Up ...................................................................................... 226 Crop Losses in Sindh ..................................................................... 228 Disaster Management .................................................................. 229 Endless Pain .................................................................................. 230 The Peanuts Fund ......................................................................... 232 Chapter-4 Opinion ........................................................................ 234 Non-stop Rains ............................................................................. 235 Calamity-Hit Farmers Seek Debt Write-Off............................... 236 Disaster After Disaster .................................................................. 238 Shortage of Milk ........................................................................... 240 Chapter-5 Letter to the Editor ...................................................... 241 Floods: Coming to the Aid of Victims ........................................... 242 Trees, Floods and Protection of Dams ......................................... 244 Funds Collection ........................................................................... 245 Sindh floods: Problems with Relief Work ..................................... 246 Misery of Kaloi .............................................................................. 247 Climate Change and Natural Disasters in Pakistan Millions Displaced After Floods .................................................... 248 Rain-Hit Sindh: No Relief Despite Funds ...................................... 249 Floods: Nawabshah in Bad Condition ........................................... 250 Chapter-6 SPO’s Response ........................................................... 251 Humanitarian Response ............................................................... 252 Climate Change and Natural Disasters in Pakistan Acronyms NDMA National Disaster Management Authority PDMA Provincial Disaster Management Authority IUCN International Union for Conservation of Nature LBOD Left Bank Outfall Drain RBOD-I Right Bank Outfall Drain MNV Main Nara Valley NNS National Nutrition Survey SIDA Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority WFP World Food Programme UNOCHA United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs UN United Nations Nadra National Database and Registration Authority IFRC International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees TLCs Temporary Learning Centres WHO World Health Organization IOM International Organisation for Migration 1 Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) Climate Change and Natural Disasters in Pakistan Acknowledgment It is acknowledged that this chronology of disaster related to the floods in Sindh in 2011 has been compiled using the online archives of two major national newspapers: Dawn at www.dawn.com and The News at www.thenews.com.pk. SPO presents this chronology through the courtesy of these two media outlets. However, this data does not represent a hundred percent coverage of the disaster and response that have been reported. The articles, editorials, news items and letters to Editors, included in this chronology are related to heavy Rains, Floods, Human security, Vulnerable Groups, Food Security, Livelihood and Aid &Aid effectiveness covered by the media from 25 August 2011 to 15 October 2011. SPO does not take the responsibility either for the authenticity of contents of news stories included in this report, or for the treatment of the flood disaster by the media. Most of the news items have been copied and summarized from the news stories published in the above mentioned newspapers. SPO acknowledges the contribution of compiler and Editor Nusrat Zehra and Emergency team who pains takingly traced the trail of disaster chronology. 2 Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) Climate Change and Natural Disasters in Pakistan Chairperson’s Note Disasters have emerged as a major challenge for Pakistani society, particularly during last one decade. The country has faced high magnitude earthquakes, cyclones and floods. The frequency of disasters is alarming and calls for enhanced role of all stakeholders. As a part of civil society, SPO has been doing its modest contribution in disaster response activities through out Pakistan. Apart from relief operations, SPO has also been engaged in creating mass awareness, producing informative documents and undertaking advocacy initiatives on the issues pertaining to natural disasters. This document is a valuable contribution of SPO in this direction. I sincerely hope that this chronology of flood disaster of 2011 would provide valuable information to all stakeholders. Dr. Tufail Muhammad Khan Chairperson, SPO 3 Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) Climate Change and Natural Disasters in Pakistan Chief Executive’s Note Pakistan suffered from another flood disaster in the second consecutive year. This year Sindh province was badly devastated by abnormal rains. According to the latest figures of the NDMA, 466 people died during the flood. 34,000 villages were affected and 1.6 million houses were damaged which affected more than 9 million people. Rural economy in the province is ruined as cropped area over 2.1 million acres was damaged and more than 116,000 cattleheads were perished. According to the UN, the floods have wiped out 73 percent of standing crops, 36 percent of livestock, and 67 percent of food stocks in the 13 worst-affected districts of Sindh Scale of damages surpassed the damages of 2011 floods. Research and documentation of disasters is one of the priority areas of the Emergency Preparedeness and Response Department of SPO. This document is aimed at documenting various developments of the flood disaster of 2011. Information was gleaned from leading national newspapers to compile choronolgy of the flood disaster. Key informaiton on this disaster has been documented in this publication which would hopefully be a useful reference document for researchers and civil society groups. We look forward for your feedback and guidance on this publication. Naseer Memon Chief Executive 4 Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) Climate Change and Natural Disasters in Pakistan Chapter -1 News Items 5 Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO) Climate Change and Natural Disasters in Pakistan August 25, 2011 (the News) Flood victims still in agony in absence of aid The government aid collected in the name of poor and destitute victims of the recent rains has not managed to reach the deserving as hundreds of victims, who have taken shelter in school buildings and roadsides across the district, wait helplessly for aid for the last 15 days. Sources said that government godowns are full with plenty of costly relief goods which reached here. The Shaheed Benazir Bhutto auditorium is full of daily use items, from plastic mats to camps, from mineral water bottles to rice, milk powder and cans of anti-septic solutions. Yet, widespread protests by victims families at dozens of relief camps are being reported daily, demanding at least meals twice daily and water for their children. The callous and indifferent attitude of local government functionaries has forced hundreds of families to live in an atmosphere where water-borne diseases, skin diseases, chest infections and gastroenteritis are spreading while snakebite cases are also being reported in many areas where no proper treatments or medical facilities are available. Sources also revealed that there is no shortage of relief goods coming directly to the district administration from the PDMA (Provincial