Pakistan: Cyclone Yemyin/Floods
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Emergency Appeal no. MDRPK001 PAKISTAN: CYCLONE (revised) GLIDE nos. FF-2007-000082-PAK and TC- 2007-000084-PAK YEMYIN/FLOODS 17 July 2007 The Federation’s mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 185 countries. In Brief THIS REVISED APPEAL SEEKS CHF 21,349,000 (USD 17 MILLION OR EUR 12.7 MILLION) IN CASH, KIND, OR SERVICES TO ASSIST 51,500 HOUSEHOLDS FOR 6 MONTHS. The appeal revision is being launched based on findings of a Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT) that was deployed to conduct rapid assessments in the most affected areas. CHF 250,000 was allocated from the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to initiate the immediate response and to support the deployment of FACT. <Click here to link directly to the attached appeal budget and here to link to the attached map> For longer-term programmes please refer to the Federation’s annual appeal. The situation Severe flooding resulting from heavy rains that were exacerbated by a cyclone in late June 2007 has affected over two million people in Pakistan. The Baluchistan Province is most affected, with 23 of its 29 districts impacted. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has placed the figure of affected people in that province alone at two million, with 130 deaths. The Sindh Province, where at least 311,570 people have been affected and 115 deaths confirmed, has also been hard hit. Five of its districts have been affected. Infrastructure has been severely undermined with roads and bridges damaged or destroyed and telecommunications out in many areas since 26 June 2007. People have lost their houses and will require support to rebuild them. IFRC. In addition to the considerable loss of life, thousands of people have been displaced as their homes have either been washed away by floodwaters or are inundated. In Baluchistan, 5,000 villages have been affected while in Sindh, 173 villages are submerged. Over 67,500 houses have been damaged across the flood-affected provinces of Baluchistan and Sindh. Pakistan: Cyclone Yemyin and Floods; Emergency Appeal no. MDRPK001 (revised) In some areas, there has also been extensive damage to essential infrastructure, including health centres, water systems, sanitation facilities, electricity, and communications facilities. The Government of Pakistan appealed nationally, and while it is not requesting international aid at this stage, it welcomes assistance from the international humanitarian community. Authorities, UN agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and various non- government organizations (NGOs) are providing relief items (food and non-food items) to the affected people through air and road routes, though a large number of potential beneficiaries remain in need of assistance. Floodwater has covered much of the agricultural land and this is bound to have a huge impact on the livelihood of the affected population. Rice, cotton and short-term crops such as vegetables and pulses have been washed away, threatening the harvest. Tube-wells were destroyed by the floods and diesel motors and other equipment were buried or washed away by floodwaters. Farmers also lost their agriculture tools and embankments (bandaat) have been severely damaged. It is worth noting that every year, farmers spend resources to repair and strengthen these bandaat before the onset of the monsoon period so as to retain moisture in the fields. Farmers have also lost their karaizes (under ground water channels). These natural irrigation systems are centuries old and the people were using water from them for multiple purposes. Red Cross and Red Crescent action so far The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has been actively responding to needs in this operation since 26 June 2007 and has been providing relief to the flood-affected people in Sindh and Baluchistan provinces. To date, the National Society, with support from the International Federation, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Partner National Societies, has been able to conduct the following: · Procurement of 11,000 one-week family food rations has been done and the process of distribution to affected communities in Sindh and Baluchistan is almost complete. In addition, 110 tonnes of miscellaneous food items have been dispatched for distribution in Sindh and Baluchistan. Five hundred one-week family food rations have been distributed in Gadaab in Karachi; · 25,000 hygiene kits have been procured by the Federation and sent to various PRCS provincial branches; · 9,600 tents from the PRCS disaster preparedness stocks have been dispatched to Baluchistan, Sindh and NWFP provincial branches; distributions are ongoing; · More than 12,000 patients have been treated by various PRCS health teams – supported by the Federation – in Baluchistan (Turbat, Pasni and Ormara) and Sindh (Kambar, Karachi, Dadu and Thatta). Additionally, ICRC funded four medical camps in Karadin and Thatta; · 2.1 tonnes of essential medicines from the Federation/PRCS earthquake operation have been provided for Baluchistan (for the PRCS health teams in Turbat); · Distribution of non-food relief items (including tents, kitchen sets, tarpaulins, blankets, jerry cans, kitchen sets, stoves and hygiene kits) is underway for 5,000 families in affected districts of Baluchistan and Sindh. To quickly respond to the immediate needs, the Federation released CHF 250,000 from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the initial response of the PRCS. On the background of a rapid assessment conducted by the national society, and based on priority needs outlined by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), a Preliminary Emergency Appeal was launched on 4 July 2007 seeking CHF 10.4 million in support of 98,000 beneficiaries for six months. With agreement of the PRCS, a Field Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT) was deployed to assist the national society in assessing the situation and planning its response. It was agreed with the NDMA that PRCS/Federation assessments would focus on Turbat, Kharan and Jhal Magsi in Baluchistan Province and Thatta and Kambar-Shahdadkot in Sindh Province. It is on the basis of the assessment results that the proposed intervention has been built. The proposed strategy also takes into consideration the PRCS/Federation emergency response already underway as well as the work carried out by the government and other agencies. The Federation will support the PRCS in its relief operation by targeting flood affected families through the provision of non-food items, shelter items, water, sanitation and basic preventive and curative health and supplementary food rations. 2 Pakistan: Cyclone Yemyin and Floods; Emergency Appeal no. MDRPK001 (revised) The needs Immediate needs: Health: Most health posts visited by the FACT reported cases of acute diarrhoea and diarrhoeal diseases. Other health concerns reported are dehydration and sun stroke, skin diseases, snake bites, respiratory infections and malaria. Available health posts in the affected area are mainly run by male staff and as a result, women are reluctant to use their services or cannot access them. There is thus the need to provide health services which take into consideration the special needs of women and children. A disease surveillance system should also be put into place. Water: The flooding had a severe impact on the existing drinking water supply and sanitation systems. Water distribution networks, wells, springs (karzes) and hand pumps were either washed away or damaged. Due to damage to the water supply systems, including existing wells and hand pumps, the affected population does not have access to clean drinking water. In some areas, women and children are walking long distance in order to get water. With most drinking water filtration systems destroyed, there is an urgent need to provide potable water as the water distribution systems, including wells and hand pumps, are restored or rehabilitated in all affected villages. Such an intervention will ensure that people have access to safe drinking water which will in turn reduce the risk of water related disease outbreaks. Additionally, distribution of water purification tablets or household level filter systems and jerry cans needs to be done immediately. Sanitation: Household latrines, sewerage systems and WatSan infrastructure in schools and other public buildings suffered considerable damage. In addition, sanitation systems have been clogged with debris and carcasses of dead animals. The absence of latrines in most of the affected villages means that people are relieving A member of the PRCS/Federation themselves in the open due to absence of latrines. This represents a assessment team inspecting a damaged water- particular hardship situation for women, as they are forced to wait until well in Koshkalat union council, in Kech darkness or have to walk to wet and watery areas in order to relieve District, Baluchistan. IFRC. themselves. There is an increased risk of contamination of water sources with human and animal waste. For this reason, provision of sanitation facilities, such as latrines, needs to be prioritized. Such facilities will provide privacy, especially to women, and will contribute to the reduction of vulnerabilities as well as the risk of waterborne disease outbreaks in the affected area through safe disposal of faecal matter. The facilities should be provided alongside