Little
remains of the buzzing town of Balakot — a resort well
known to hikers and tourists, situated at the bottom of the
Kaghan Valley and surrounded by the scenic mountains of the
Hindu Kush.
Balakot and its neighbouring villages were almost completely
destroyed in the earthquake on 8 October. It is estimated that
almost 80 per cent of its population of 35,000 were killed.
Most villages in the mountains above were also totally demolished.
At the best of times, the communities around the valley live
in a harsh environment in tough mountainous terrain. They are
used to coping in difficult conditions, but they need more than
just resilience to survive now and in the long term.
The Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is striving to provide
them with the means to carry on through winter. With temperatures
plummeting to -15° Celsius in the highest settlements as
early as November, the urgency of the task is even greater.
Worsening problems in winter
“Make no mistake. This is one of the most complex relief
operations ever. Our operation has been able to overcome many
of the problems caused by bad weather, landslides, aftershocks
and generally difficult terrain, but these problems will worsen
with the onset of winter,” said Markku Niskala, Secretary
General of the International Federation after having visited
the quake affected area in Pakistan. “I am appealing to
individuals and governments around the world to support us in
this work.”
The operation faces a serious challenge. The International Federation
appealed for CHF 152 million USD to assist to assist some 570,000
survivors, but less than half this amount has been secured.
Nonetheless, Red Cross Red Crescent relief distribution has
continued to gain momentum despite the harsh conditions. Getting
tents, blankets and tarpaulins out to the survivors has called
for new measures.
The International Federation has started airlifting special
relief teams by helicopter to isolated villages, and small jeeps,
mules and sometimes people are used to carry relief items up
the mountains to remote villages.
Federation helps 30,000 people a week in mountain communities
“These jeeps have had to make up to 30 trips per day up
the mountain, so that we could reach our target of distributing
up to 250 tents and tarpaulins and from each distribution points,”
says Raoul Garganera, team leader for the Regional Disaster
Response Teams (RDRT) from Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
from South and South East Asia that have been instrumental in
carrying out the relief efforts. “Once our network was
up and running, we have been reaching some 30,000 people per
week.”
Siddique Muhammad waited for two weeks while roads were cleared
and made accessible for Red Cross Red Crescent aid to be brought
up to his isolated village of Hangrai, high up in the Kaghan
Valley.
It has been a long wait. His wife and four sons have only had
tarpaulins and plastic sheeting to shield them from the cold.
His home was completely destroyed — as were all other
houses in Hangrai. Some 150 people were killed in this small
community of only a few thousand inhabitants.
“Everything was destroyed in a single second,” Siddique
says when asked about the earthquake. “Throughout the
day you could hear people crying. Then the rain fell in the
night. It was awful.”
After struggling to carry the tent from the Red Cross Red Crescent
distribution point in Jabra up the steep mountain slopes to
where his house used to stand, Siddique does not waste any time.
With assistance from friends and family, he puts it up besides
the ruins of his home. Under the rubble lie all his belongings,
and he wants to salvage as much as possible while the weather
allows. The future is still uncertain.
“If weather permits, we will stay up here. If it gets
too cold, we will have to shift down to the valley — to
Balakot or surrounding towns,” he explains. What he wants
most of all is to stay close to where his life’s fortune
lies buried.
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Siddique
Muhammad waited for two weeks while roads were cleared
and made accessible for Red Cross Red Crescent aid to
be brought up to his isolated village of Hangrai, high
up in the Kaghan Valley. (p13454)
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Siddique
Muhammad struggles to carry the tent from the Red Cross
Red Crescent distribution point in Jabra up the steep
mountain slopes to where his house used to stand. (p13453)
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Siddique
does not waste any time. With assistance from friends
and family, he puts it up besides the ruins of his home.
(p13452)
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