Rapid Need Assessment Report Thatta & Sujawal
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Rapid Need Assessment Report Thatta & Sujawal Abbreviation/ Acronyms CBO Community Based Organizations CRPs Community Resource Person DRMC Disaster Risk Management Center DDMA District Disaster Management Authority FGD Focus Group Discussion NFI Non Food Items PDMA Provincial Disaster Management Authority PMD Pakistan Meteorological Department WASH Water And Sanitation Hygiene Rapid Need Assessment Report Thatta & Sujawal Executive Summary Heavy monsoon rains during the current season in Pakistan resulted in significant losses to infrastructure including shelters, roads, power supplies and WASH schemes, human life, live stocks and agriculture. The widespread heavy rains with high speed winds and thunderstorms rendered devastation in South-eastern part of Sindh, Pakistan especially in two adjacent districts Thatta and Sujawal. In addition, post-rain stagnant water rendered living difficult in their homes even in partially damaged homes, made access and mobility difficult, caused losses to crops land and miserable living conditions for the people and their livestock. The veterinary care and feed provision to livestock is extremely difficult. The stagnant water pools also pose a threat to food security and public health especially to vulnerable communities such as children, pregnant women, old age adults and persons with disabilities. The objective of the Rapid Need Assessment was to assess the current situation due to heavy rain and to collect the information about the damages, losses and potential threats to the life and livelihood of the communities. Rapid Assessment Tool was adopted which was tested and used previously in the same situations by HANDS and the partners. The information provided by the local communities, authorities and rapid assessment process revealed that nearly 150 villages in total 20 Union Councils are worst affected, located in eight Talukas of Thatta and Sujawal districts. The estimated affected population is 150000. HANDS team visited the affected areas and conducted 21 Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) in affected villages. Total participants in the FGDs were 360 including men and women. During Rapid Assessment, it was revealed that in the surveyed areas there were total 2391 households were affected. Out of these 16.5% households are headed by women, 1.6% are headed by adolescents and 15% are elderly persons (age above 60 years). 142 persons with disabilities were identified in the affected villages. During Rapid Assessment, total 2,391 houses status was recorded, which revealed that there are 2,108 kacha (88% semi-structured) houses and 283 pakka 12% (structured) houses. Total 29.7% shelters are fully damaged and 39.1% are partially damaged in the affected villages. Information regarding living conditions revealed that few families are displaced to distant place and living with host families, 37.5 % have used their local material for arranging temporary settlement, 1.8% families are living in tents and 58.9% are living in their houses. Total 735 families (19%) are still displaced from their homes, due to stagnant water or complete damage to their houses. Few families are still trapped in stagnant water. Information regarding availability and quality of water revealed that there are significant damages to existing water sources such as hand pumps, pond and canals and unprotected well. There is contamination of water on large scale, which rendered the available water unsafe or undrinkable for most of the affected population. Majority participants described the water as having bad taste, smell, and presence of suspended soil. Only small number of population have access to safe and structured sanitation services (latrines). In the surveyed areas, 5% household have had personal latrines, out of these now 68% partially damaged or became nonfunctional. Similarly, 97% of communal latrines also damaged or became non-functional. According to the FGDs respondents, after rain following diseases have been reported in large numbers in almost all communities; The reported major diseases are Diarrhea, Malaria, Cough cold & fever, Skin Infection, and measles, which created potential public health crisis. The stagnant water and poor hygienic conditions may aggravate the spread of vector borne diseases such as Malaria, diarrhea and hepatitis. Other highly contagious diseases may also spread such as Measles and Pneumonia. The vulnerable population include the children, women of reproductive age, persons of old age and with disabilities may be affected in large numbers. The immediate interventions may prevent the high risks of morbidity and mortality from these critical diseases. Rapid Need Assessment Report Thatta & Sujawal The report revealed that there is significant effect on the food security and livelihood There are also significant losses of livestock and additionally few diseases spread also reported among the livestock in affected areas, which may further aggravate the losses. Most of the people are engaged in different livelihood activities such as agriculture, livestock rearing, fisheries, daily labour, few do the regular employment and shop keeping. Many of the livelihood activities are hampered due to the rain damages and after effects due to stagnant water over large geographies. The conditions affected the fresh crops, damage the infrastructures which resulted in limited access and mobility. Few of the protection related issues were highlighted by the communities on limited scale such as security concerns, theft reported at few places, and persons with disabilities generally neglected in the emergency and they faced more hardship and difficulties. Known hazards to children were also identified by the communities such as stagnant water in 75% villages, open pit latrines in 38% villages, dangerous animals bites such dog and snake bites as these animals existed as reported in 38% villages and open & live electric wire in the open fields and stagnant water in 14% villages. Most of the families have also lost their household routine use items such as beddings, floor mats, stoves & kitchen items etc. Considering the extent of losses and damages, humanitarian assistance is needed. For humanitarian response many immediate actions are suggested and recommended based on this need assessment. There is an immediate need for restoration of their shelter through repair or renovation, restoration of improved water sources and supplies, measures to make it safe and drinkable, restoration of schools and access through clearance of stagnant water by de-watering and debris removal, immediate health interventions to provide timely health care and prevention of critical diseases and infections to save the lives of children and women, and measures or schemes for assistance in regaining and restoration of livelihood of the families. The Total number of HHs in the Study Area was 73,239. Of this, the number of most affected HHs was 25,044. Immediate Relief Assistance was provided by PDMA to the affected HHs on the basis on multi- sectorial needs. These included the following items and quantities listed in Table hereunder along with the current gap. HHs Total HHs Current Supported No. of Most in Need GAP S# Sector Items HHs in affected by PDMA affected HHs No. of No. % No. % % UCs HHs 1 Shelter Tents 17,280 24 5,300 31 11,980 69 2 WASH Jerry Can 25,044 34 2,500 10 22,544 90 3 NFI Mosquito Nets 25,044 34 7,000 28 18,044 72 Cash 73,239 25,044 4 FSL Programing/Food 25,044 34 - 0 25,044 100 Distribution Bed Sheets/ 5 NFI 46,873 64 2,095 4 44,778 96 Mats Rapid Need Assessment Report Thatta & Sujawal Rapid Need assessment Report: Background: There has been moderate to heavy spell of monsoon rainfall in the entire Sindh province from the evening of 9th August-2019 as a monsoon system from the Bay of Bengal entered Pakistan. Thatta & Sujawal – were flooded due to a prolonged period and heavy precipitations that started on Saturday and continued through Tuesday (10 – 13 August 2019). The incessant heavy downpour affected the 151,900 population, residing in 20 Union councils, located in eight Talukaes of district Thatta and Sujawal. The heavy and moderate spell of rain disrupted the life severely. There was widespread power outrage which also disrupted the communication through mobile phones, and disturbed the road / transport access to several areas, as road infrastructure and passages were submerged, livestock and agriculture were affected or lost. HANDS Disaster Risk Management Centre (HDRMC) Thatta collected information related to damages due to heavy rain, through local available networks like Community Based Organizations (CBOs), Marvi workers, Community resource persons (CRPs), Local Revenue Department, District government /DC Offices / District Disaster Management Authority and local media. Objectives: The objectives of the Rapid Need Assessment were to assess the current situation, determine the extent and magnitude of damages occurred due to heavy rain and identify the immediate community needs developed the recommendations and immediate actions to address the humanitarian need to minimize the crisis. Methodology: Rapid Assessment Tool was adopted which was tested and used previously in the same situations by HANDS and the partners. The information collected through this questionnaire is related to population displacement, status and damages to shelter. WASH schemes, Health status and risks, Livelihood situation and current extent of disruption, disturbances and damages to communication systems and humanitarian needs in this