Pakistan: Floods/Cyclone OCHA Situation Report No. 20

Source: Reliefweb

This situation report is based on information received from the United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office in Pakistan, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Pakistan Meteorological Department, Clusters, and media sources.

HIGHLIGHTS
The NDMA reports five more deaths in Balochistan on 31 July. The total death toll is now 329 (202 in Balochistan and 127 in Sindh) with 224 people missing.

The NDMA reports that the population in relief camps has reduced from 35,340 on 30 July to 31,285 to date (27,200 in Balochistan and 4,083 in Sindh).

The NDMA noted that there is a need for a quick disbursement of government compensation grant in the affected areas of Sindh and Balochistan.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department reports that torrential rains are expected in western Sindh and eastern Balochistan over the next week, which could lead to flooding in vulnerable areas.

OVERVIEW

Sindh and Balochistan
1. The NDMA reports that the population in relief camps has reduced from 35,340 on 30 July to 31,285 to date (27,200 in Balochistan and 4,083 in Sindh).

2. Total relief camps are now 115 (89 in Balochistan and 7 in Sindh).

3. The majority of the 25,000 people that crossed from Jhal Magsi district in Balochistan to Shahdadkot town in Sindh last week still lack food and shelter.

4. An assessment from Church World Service indicates that 100,000 people affected in Thatta district of Sindh are facing a shortage of food and medicines. Farmers are in need of seeds for the next crop. The return process of the displaced is slow due to lack of sustainable rehabilitation options.

NATIONAL RESPONSE
5. The PDMA (Provincial Disaster Management Authority) in Balochistan reports that 13,500 out of 36,724 households in 17 districts received cash grants of Rs 15,000 (approximately US$ 250). However, compensation distribution did not start in 4 districts: Bolan, Loralai, Washuk and Jhal Magsi. Some Rs 214 million (approximately US$3.5m) out of the allocated Rs 300 million (US$5m) has been paid so far.

6. The NDMA noted that there is a need of quick disbursement of Rs 15,000 in the remaining affected areas. In Sindh, a survey is currently being conducted by the district authorities on the number of affected households.

COORDINATION/ASSISTANCE (International & National)
7. A UN Area Coordinator’s Office was established in Sindh on 31 July. The office will be responsible for coordination structure for national and international NGOs under the cluster approach, engaging with government officials. The first coordinated Health Cluster meeting was held on 31 July, while a General Coordination meeting took place on 1 August in Karachi.

Cluster Activities
Shelter Cluster
8. As of 30 July, some 74,600 tents have been delivered in Sindh and Balochistan: 54,960 by the Government/NDMA, 10,523 by UN agencies and NGOs and 9,160 by PRCS/IFRC. Of approximately 58,322 additional emergency shelter kits confirmed for distribution, 22,450 are emergency transitional shelter kits that are also re-usable for reconstruction.

9. Roofing needs for 90,000 families rendered homeless by the floods have been met or about to be met. First hand evidence from national and international NGOs and IOM Rapid Response Teams (RRTs) indicate that actual coverage is 20% and rising to a maximum of 40% in accessible and worst affected districts.

10. IFRC will visit Sindh on 6 August to establish linkages with the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the new UN Coordination Office and NGOs.

Health Cluster
11. Out of the 124,000 children targeted for measles vaccination, more than 73,000 have been vaccinated by UNICEF, partner organizations and the Provincial Health Department in the affected districts of Sindh and Balochistan.

12. Three children died from Gastroenteritis in Qambar district, Balochistan, on 1 August and from Acute Watery Diarrhoea (AWD) in Turbat on 30 July. However, WHO reports that the percentage of AWD cases has decreased in Turbat District from 25% on 23 July to 15% on 31 July. WHO has provided two cholera kits to the district health official in this district. WHO and the Health Department of Balochistan conducted training on Disease Early Warning System (DEWS) on 1 August in Turbat for 38 doctors.

13. The Provincial Health Department of Balochistan reports that 25 medical camps and 28 outreach medical teams are working in flood affected districts of Balochistan. Some 153 doctors, including 13 females, are working in the teams. Essential drugs worth US$46,000 were provided to 7 districts including Naseerabad, Jaffarabad, Jhal Magsi, Kech, Kharan, Khuzdar and Awaran.

14. Of the 215 primary health facilities in Balochistan, 168 have been partially damaged and 47 badly damaged. Water and Sanitation Cluster

15. The estimated population in need of water trucking is 240,000 (180,000 in Balochistan and 60,000 in Sindh). The cluster is currently providing safe drinking water to 177,500 people through water trucking. Water is reaching 127,500 people in Balochistan province (Gwadar, Kech, Kharan, Naseerabad and Jhal Magsi districts) and a further 50,000 in Sindh province (Dadu and Kambar districts).

16. The total distribution of WASH-related nonfood items to date has included aqua tablets (1,200,000), purification sachets (1,235,000), nerox filters (9,700), jerry cans/buckets (32,525), water tanks/bladders (130), latrines (3,430), soap (97,000 bars) and water purification materials.

17. Approximately 300,000 of the total 726,000 population have benefited from the restoration of water supply schemes. Protection Cluster

18. Issues requiring advocacy have been raised with the NDMA. Those include safety for women accessing latrines, information on compensation grants among female headed households, and women unwilling to access distribution points due to cultural norms.

Food Security
19. The district department of agriculture and livestock reports that floodwaters destroyed 4.4 million tons of cotton, rice and sugarcane crops in Dadu district. Of the total 0.1 million acres of sown area, 71,806 acres of land has been inundated.

Nutrition Cluster
20. In Quetta, a three-day training programme on supplementary feeding and community based therapeutic care (CTC) was completed, including 21 participants from different partner agencies, Balochistan Rural Support Programme (BRSP) and government officials from the Department of Health.

21. All supplies for the therapeutic feeding centers (TFCs) have been delivered to 5 districts of Balochistan (Nasirabad, Jafferabad, Sibi, Kech and Khuzdar) this week. In Sibi and Nassirabad, TFCs started working on 3 August. TFCs in remaining 3 districts are expected to start from 6 August.

22. As of 2 August, UNICEF has distributed 135MT of Unimix in 14 districts in Balochistan to children under five years and lactating/pregnant women. Supply of Unimix will continue in eight prioritized flood-affected districts for the next three months targeting some 40,000 children.

Information Management
Cluster-specific documents, situation reports, maps including Who What Where (3W), assessments and technical guidelines relating to this emergency can be found at www.pfic.webexone.com. This situation report together with further information on ongoing emergencies is also available on the OSOCC Internet Website. http://www.unocha.org/vosocc and on the OCHA Internet Website http://www.reliefweb.int/.

Teams from around the globe respond to Pakistan flood crisis

ReliefWeb (press release),

Specialist Red Cross Red Crescent Emergency Response Units (ERUs) from around the world are providing vital relief to thousands of people in Pakistan still suffering the after-effects of devastating July floods.
The floods affected 2.5 million people across Sindh and Baluchistan, claming more than 300 lives and damaging or destroying 80,000 homes.
Red Cross Red Crescent teams from Britain, Finland, Spain, Austria and Sweden have been deployed to support the work of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society in assisting affected people in Larkana district in Sindh. The teams cover health care, water and sanitation, and logistics.
The ERUs consist of highly trained staff ready to be deployed within 48 hours and operational within a week. Five units have been deployed to Pakistan – a Finnish Red Cross health team, three water and sanitation teams from Spain, the UK and Austria, and a Swiss/Danish logistics team.
Along with Pakistan Red Crescent staff and volunteers, the teams are battling temperatures approaching 50 degrees Celsius and seas of mud, while trying to assist communities scattered over wide areas.
The Spanish specialised water team found communities in Kachipol and Qubo Saeed Khan in dire straits through lack of clean water. They've responded by producing up to 30,000 litres of clean water a day, supplying roughly 2,000 people since 27 July.
Team Leader, Paco Maldonado, says the situation was quite desperate.
"People were only receiving 15 litres per family, per day, which is not enough, especially given that there are seven people per family in Pakistan," he says "The minimum requirement is generally 15 litres per person per day."
A second unit will be up and running shortly while water will also be trucked to more distant communities with the help of UNICEF and local non-governmental organizations.
A direct result of flood damage and shortage of safe water is the immediate risk of disease, which is compounded by a lack of proper toilet and washing facilities. The British Red Cross mass sanitation unit has been working in Warah since July 27 to help tackle these problems, as team leader Vendela Fortune explains.
"Our focus is to minimize public health risks caused by water and excreta related diseases. We do this by providing facilities for going to the toilet, managing waste and drainage, and then enabling people to make the best use of those facilities for their hygiene, dignity and overall well-being."
The British team has begun constructing toilets and will be distributing hygiene kits containing necessities such as soap and toothpaste. The team is also working with local people to promote better hygiene practices.
These activities might sound basic, but they can be a matter of life and death. Red Cross Red Crescent assessment teams found cases of acute diarrhea and diarrhoeal diseases which ultimately can kill.
When disaster strikes, women and children often bear the brunt. The floods in Pakistan have been no different, with mothers and children topping the list of the most vulnerable, particularly in relation to health needs. The Finnish Red Cross basic health care unit has been operational since July 29 and the 12-strong team of doctors, nurses and technicians is focusing on maternal and child health.
"Our team has been put together with this in mind. We have five female nurses and a local doctor, who is a gynaecologist, so women can feel comfortable speaking about their health care needs with a lady doctor," explains a Finnish team member, Andreas von Weissenberg.Working with local staff, they will operate two mobile health teams and a stationary clinic. The unit is also working with the Pakistan Red Crescent and local health authorities.
Von Weissenberg admits the health challenges are significant and the potential caseload enormous.
"We are operating mostly in schools, where displaced peopled have sought shelter. The numbers living in the schools vary from hundreds to thousands," she said.
The emergency response unit concept involves not only helping affected people but also strengthening the National Society they work with. At the height of the response to the 2005 Pakistan earthquake, a total of six emergency response units were deployed. Their presence helped develop capacity in areas such as water and sanitation, health and logistics.
Maritta Vuori, a nurse with the Finnish health unit says the goal for this operation is the same. "We are rapidly deployed, but we have a longer term approach. That's why we work with the Pakistan Red Crescent Society so when we leave, they can continue the work with the skills and the equipment gained through the operation."
While the Pakistan Red Crescent is the backbone of the Red Cross Red Crescent flood response, the fast deployment of the specialized emergency response units is providing vital backup. Together, they will continue to try to meet the ongoing needs, which will remain long after the flood waters recede.

NZ to assist after floods in Pakistan

Source: reliefweb.int

New Zealand will provide $500,000 in humanitarian assistance to Pakistan following serious flooding there, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said today.
"While the focus of New Zealand's aid is the Pacific, we are equally committed to helping the people of Asia in times of need," said Mr Peters, who is in Manila for the ASEAN Regional Forum.
"The combined effects of the monsoon season beginning on June 23 and Cyclone Yemyin on June 26 have claimed hundreds of lives across Pakistan.
"Up to two million people have been affected, with at least 100,000 homeless. Most of those worst hit by the flood are poor and disadvantaged, including many Afghani refugees.
"These people do not have much to begin with, and are very vulnerable to illness and disease. It's important New Zealand does what it can to help them recover from this disaster."
Mr Peters said New Zealand's contribution, through the government's international aid and development agency NZAID, would go to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to help fund emergency shelter and supplies.