Pakistan

Pakistan Earthquake Appeal

• Background
• Irish Red Cross Response
• International Red Cross Response
• Future Red Cross Activities
• Personnel

Background

On October 8th, 2005, an earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck northern Pakistan centred in an area 95km northeast of the capital Islamabad. The results of this earthquake, the tremors of which were felt far across south Asia region from Kabul in Afghanistan to New Delhi in India, were devastating affecting an area of some 30,000 square kilometres and most seriously the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan and Pakistan administered Kashmir.

In all, more than 73,000 people lost their lives including at least 30,000 children many of whom were at school at the time. A further 128,000 people were injured and the destruction of hundreds of thousands of homes left more than 3.5 million homeless. Regional infrastructure including some 6,300 schools, 600 health facilities and centres of trade were either damaged or completely destroyed as were roads, power and water supplies, in a rugged and frequently inaccessible mountain terrain.

The scale of this disaster set against fears of the onset of a traditionally harsh winter of heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures in a then even less accessible environment by either air or road, neccessitated an immediate response from the international community. It was in this context that the Irish Red Cross mobilised resources in a race against time as part of the International Red Cross Movement response to meet the most urgent humanitarian needs of food, water, shelter and medical assistance which have now been distributed to an estimated 1.1 million people.

While the immediate emergency phase of the response to the disaster of October 2005 is largely complete despite the additional hardship caused to many communities by heavy flooding and landslides during the summer of 2006, there is a recognition that many still remain vulnerable.

Now, in the midst of a second winter in which more than 66,000 families (400,000 people) are yet again facing the harsh winter season with only temporary or semi-permanent shelter, the International Red Cross Movement is working to assist 13,500 families in some of the most remote regions across the earthquake affected region. Thousands of kilos of corrugated iron sheeting, tarpaulins and repair kits for shelter as well as quilts have been airlifetd in January in a hazardous three week helicopter airlift operation involving UN helicopters and the dedicated Pakistan Red Crescent teams operating on the ground to receive the airdrops and assist with distributions.

And all of this while longer term support for many communities not previously accessible continues. The Red Cross Movement plans not only to reconstruct newer and better health and education facilities but also to help re-establish livelihoods and enhance local capacity in the event of similar challenges or disasters in the future for around a million survivors until the end of 2008. Meanwhile the Government of Pakistan has taken specific responsibility for the reconstruction of housing by supporting home owners to rebuild their own houses through the provision of cash grants.

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Irish Red Cross Response

The Irish Red Cross immediately repsonded to the Pakistan earthquake by providing 3 key logistical staff to the Internatioanl Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and by launching an appeal for both short term emergency and longer term recovery needs which to date has raised €2.5m.

In terms of immediate needs, these funds contributed towards the sourcing and distribution of the following items:

• 11,400 blankets and 4,000 “all Weather” winterized tents essential for protection against the sub-zero temperatures.
• 17,000 corrugated iron sheets. Corrugated iron sheets are distributed 10 per family and can be used towards the construction of both temporary and permanent shelter for both humans and/or their animals.
• 200 tonnes of food in the form of rice, lentils and butter.
• 30 tonnes of soap and over 60,000 ladies hygiene kits. The distribution of hygiene kits is particularly important in maintaining cleanliness and minimising the possible risk of the spread of skin infections common when large numbers of displaced persons are forced into small areas with poor sanitary conditions. Equally important, such kits help preserve the dignity and self respect of survivors in times of particular hardship.

In relation to the longer term needs of affected populations, the Irish Red Cross has supported a water, sanitation and hygiene promotion project targeting 7,580 families. The specific objective of this project is to establish a sustainable improvement in the health and well-being of these families through hygiene promotion and health education in addition to the construction of water and sanitation facilities in both private housing (300), schools (40) and health centres (40). Furthermore, 14 water supply schemes damaged as a result of the earthquake are being rehabilitated while another 36 new water schemes are constructed.

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International Red Cross Response

Since the tragic events of October 8th, 2005, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) have provided relief assistance, including food, tents, water, tarpaulins, blankets, cooking equipment, medicine, shelter materials and tools, to over 1.1 million people concentrated in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan. The emergency response in Pakistan-administered Kashmir was led by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the PRCS. Partner Red Cross National Societies from many countries including Irish Red Cross also supported the emergency response in both quake-affected areas by providing personnel, resources, funding and regional disaster response teams (RDRTs). Therefore, the overall response to the disaster has been a combined effort by the whole of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

A summary of the key elements of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement Response is presented below:

• A total of 1.1 million people have received some form of emergency relief support from the Pakistan Red Crescent Society or the International Federation. Targeted families have predominantly been in the NWFP.
• Between October 2005 and July 2006, a wide range of relief items were distributed by the PRCS and International Federation, including over 70,000 tents, 466,000 blankets, 132,000 tarpaulins, 220,000 corrugated galvanised iron (CGI) sheets, 22,000 shelter repair kits, 200,000 hygiene kits, 321,000 quilts and 324,000 bed sheets.

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  A Pakistan Red Crescent volunteer giving medical care to a young earthquake survivor. Kashmir, November 2005.
  © Arzu Ozsoy / International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies

  Since the beginning of the operation, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has provided basic health care for almost half a million people in the NWFP and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Thousands of people have received medical attention via mobile health teams, emergency response units, field hospitals and basic health units. The PRCS and International Federation are also working with Ministry of Health “lady health workers” and supporting 25 government-run basic health units.
• Six mobile health teams are travelling throughout the NWFP, delivering health care, vaccinations and medication to approximately 2,000 people each week.
• A water purification unit, established by the Swedish and Austrian Red Cross Societies, in Balakot provided 210,000 liters of water per day for 15,000 people from October 2005 to July 2006. Another unit in Batagram, set up by the German and Austrian Red Cross Societies, provided 45,000 liters daily, servicing 10,000 people from October to April. These services have been progressively replaced by water irrigation schemes constructed with the assistance of the International Federation and PRCS.
• The International Federation and PRCS water and sanitation teams have worked with communities in Balakot, Batagram and Allai to construct approximately 1,350 latrines, 178 washrooms, and 15 water supply schemes.

• 

  A Red Crescent volunteer manages to reach and talk to earthquake survivors in a rugged mountain area of the Pakistan administered Kashmir region.
  © Arzu Ozsoy / International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crecsent Societies

  More than 32,000 quake survivors have received support from the PRCS and International Federation’s Psychosocial Support Programme, which is run by the Danish Red Cross and receives funding from the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid Department, ECHO. During the relief phase, the project provided assistance to 27,000 people living in relief camps and is now supporting 5,000 people across 14 villages in Balakot, Garhi Habibullah and Batagram.
• Almost 4,500 families have received seeds and fertilizer from the PRCS and International Federation in the Allai Valley area. Around 1,500 of these families have received farming tool kits, while more than 75,000 kilos of maize seed and 225,000 kilos of fertilizer have also been distributed as part of livelihood recovery efforts.
• A 30-member PRCS National Disaster Response Team has been formed and trained, significantly boosting the disaster response capacity of the Pakistan Red Crescent Society.

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Future Red Cross Activities

• A total of 44 reconstruction projects are expected to be completed across the NWFP and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. These consist of 19 educational facilities, 11 health facilities and 14 community centres. Construction on the first eight projects is expected to get underway by October and all projects are scheduled to be completed by the end of 2008.

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  Contingency plans by the PRCS and International Federation are in place for emergency shelter support for 13,500 families (94,500 people) during the coming winter across the NWFP and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. This will consist of the provision of 13,500 shelter repair kits, 135,000 sheets of corrugated galvanized iron sheets, 27,000 tarpaulins, 8,300 tents, 70,000 blankets, 40,000 quilts and 10,000 hurricane lamps.
• The PRCS/Federation health programme will continue running six mobile health clinics, which visit 30 villages weekly in remote areas with little or no access to primary health care. The health programme will continue to provide training in areas such as community-based first aid, traditional birthing techniques for attendants (midwives) and hygiene promotion.
• The psychosocial programme in and around Balakot, Batagram and the Allai Valley will support up to 30,000 people, assisting affected populations in returning to “normal” life.
• The construction of 4,000 latrines and 450 “rural bathrooms” is planned for 60 village communities over the next two years. A total of 40 schools will have communal latrines installed, benefiting 10,000 children. In addition, 60 water schemes are expected to be completed by the end of 2008. The water and sanitation project will benefit 160,000 people by the end of 2008 by providing them with improved access to sanitation facilities, enhanced knowledge of hygiene and access to clean water.
• The PRCS and International Federation plan to assist 4,500 families per year with seeds, fertilizer, and farming tools through to the end of 2008.
• A total of 250,000 seedlings of forestry and fruit trees will be distributed across selected villages in 2007 and 2008 to assist with livelihoods recovery.
• The International Federation will also continue working to build the capacity of the PRCS through ongoing disaster management, health programmes and support for vulnerable communities so that they are better prepared when disaster strikes.
• PRCS volunteers will be recruited and trained in disaster preparedness/response across various locations in NWFP. Assessments of disaster-prone areas will be carried out to identify where the PRCS branch network needs to be strengthened or expanded.

For the latest updates on the activities of International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, please click here .

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Delegates / Personnel

Air Operations Delegate Willie Norton. © Lensmen

Willie Norton

In Pakistan, Willie was employed as an Air Operations Manager responsible for co-ordinating the delivery of thousands of tonnes of aid by air to remote mountain regions inaccessible by road in addition to managing the evacuation of many of the most critically wounded.

Willie was redeployed by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) from his existing posting in the Jordanian capital Amman, where he oversaw the delivery of aid into Iraq. He has previously served in some of the most challenging posts worldwide, notably Sudan and formerly on the Afghanistan delivery programme which was based in Pakistan.

Logistics Delegate John Rowland. © Lensmen

John Rowland - Logistics Delegate

John oversaw the warehouses and fleets of vehicles organised to deliver aid. This was his fourth mission, having previously joined the Red Cross to work on the Iraq operation three years ago, before going on to work in Angola and subsequently in Indonesia after the 2004 Tsunami.

A qualified mechanical engineer, John, who is from Crumlin in Dublin, has worked for a number of Irish firms, including both Intel and Hewlett Packard as a Production Manager and is presently working with the Red Cross in Sudan.

Logistics Delegate Gary Buchanan. © Lensmen

Gary Buchannan - Logistics Delegate

An experienced veteran of overseas missions, Gary went to Pakistan having just just returned from a lengthy year and a half long mission in the West African state of Liberia, where he ensured the safe delivery of aid to communities affected by the country's civil war.

Gary’s work for the Red Cross began in the Balkans, at the height of the conflict there in 1994. Since then, he has also been involved in the delivery of aid in the former Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) and in Rwanda. His role in Pakistan was to plan the transfer of relief items to Red Cross logistical bases for further distribution and since leaving Pakistan, Gary has continued to work for the Red Cross in the Middle east.

Cormac Rooney, Irish Red Cross Construction Delegate, Pakistan.

Cormac Rooney - Construction Delegate

Cormac is employed with the Red Cross in Pakistan as a Construction Coordinator in North West Frontier Province. This is Cormac's second mission with the Red Cross having previously worked with the Movement in Sri Lanka on post-Tsunami reconstruction projects. Originally from Dundalk in Co. Louth, Cormac has also worked in the humnaitarian sector in South Africa.

Owen Frazer

Owen is employed by Irish Red Cross in Pakistan as a Field Delegate with the ICRC.
This is Owen's second overseas mission with the Red Cross having previously worked in Colombia as well as in the Headquarters of the ICRC in Geneva. He also has several years experience outside the Red Cross Movement in the humanitarian sector in the UK as well as Ethiopia.

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