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Pakistan
earthquake: one year on, many survivors still at-risk 3 October 2006 Tens of thousands of people are facing a second winter without permanent shelter following the devastating earthquake, which killed more than 73,000 people and made over 3.5 million homeless in northern Pakistan on 8 October 2005. One year after, it is estimated that around 66,000 families are still without permanent shelter, while recent landslides and flooding have also left many quake survivors in a precarious position. In response to the situation, the Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have made contingency shelter plans for 13,500 families across the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. The International Federation and PRCS are ready to provide over 8,300 tents, 135,000 sheets of corrugated galvanized iron (CGI), 13,500 shelter repair kits and 27,000 tarpaulins for quake survivors as needed. “The Red Cross and Red Crescent, along with other aid agencies and the government of Pakistan, has been working to identify gaps and ensure that vulnerable communities make it through the winter,” says Azmat Ulla, Head of the International Federation’s delegation in Pakistan. In addition to this major challenge, Ulla says the big task at hand is to complete the recovery process. “Livelihoods must be restored, the health status of affected communities must be enhanced and survivors need to be able to get back to ‘normal’ life,” he adds. Since the disaster struck, the PRCS and International Federation have provided assistance to 1.1 million people, including more than 70,000 tents, 220,000 CGI sheets, 132,000 tarpaulins, and 22,000 shelter repair kits. Around half a million people have benefited from Red Cross and Red Crescent medical support. The International Federation and the PRCS are also supporting recovery activities for a million people until the end of 2008, including the reconstruction of education, medical and community centres, irrigation schemes, the provision of primary health care and education, psychosocial support, water and sanitation facilities, skills training, and the distribution of seeds, fertilizer and farming tools. However, more funding is required to complete the job and the International Federation continues to seek ongoing donor support for its recovery projects. “Compared to emergency relief operations, recovery is significantly more complex and challenging,” says Khalid Kibriya, Secretary General of the PRCS. “It is vital that this phase be completed in order to build on the good work that’s already been done and ensure that vulnerable communities become more resilient to disasters in the future.” For further information, or to set up interviews, please contact: In Islamabad: John Tulloch, Communications Coordinator Tel: + 92 300 555 4505 In Geneva: Anna Nelson, Media and Public Relations Officer Tel: + 41 79 724 20 46 Media Service Duty Phone (Out of hours): Tel: + 41 79 416 38 81 The Geneva-based International Federation promotes the humanitarian activities of 185 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies among vulnerable people. By coordinating international disaster relief and encouraging development support, it seeks to prevent and alleviate human suffering. The Federation, National Societies and the International Committee of the Red Cross together, constitute the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. © International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies |
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