Flemming Nielsen, Operations Coordinator – International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
Six months have gone by since a deadly earthquake, measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale, killed more than 73,000 people and left over 3.5 million homeless in a remote and rugged area roughly the 28,000 square kilometres in size. In many ways, it was one of the most difficult and challenging relief operations the humanitarian community, including the Red Cross Red Crescent, have faced in recent years.
What’s more, the timing of the disaster pitted relief workers in a race against time to get help to tens of thousands of people in rural mountain villages before the start of winter. The rocky and dangerous terrain proved to be a major obstacle – some roads were only accessible using mules or small trucks, while other areas were so remote they could only be reached via helicopter.
Another challenge for the entire humanitarian community was the shortage of available funding and the slow rate at which donations trickled in at the beginning. Many organisations were forced to take financial risks in order to ensure that the delivery of relief was not interrupted.
Taking all of this into consideration, it’s fair to say that the relief operation in Pakistan has been a success. However, considerable challenges still lie ahead and the international community must be ready and willing to respond to the ongoing needs of the quake survivors on their road to recovery.
Over the past six months, the Pakistan Red Crescent Society and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have delivered 18,000 tonnes of relief supplies by air, road and foot to more than 740,000 people in Pakistan.
The intense efforts made by the humanitarian community to reach people in the weeks before and during the winter have paid off. The resilience of the survivors, the tireless work of Pakistan Red Crescent volunteers and staff, and the well-coordinated response of the Pakistani authorities have also played a major role in preventing a much-feared second wave of deaths due to illness and exposure to the cold.
Now that spring has arrived and the recovery phase is getting underway, the focus of our efforts must be on enabling people to return to where they once lived and helping them to rebuild their communities. Understandably, they are eager to be able to provide for their families and send their children back to school.
The Pakistan government has taken the lead role in reconstructing homes but houses are not enough to create a community. We must also provide them with vital public infrastructures such as water and sanitation facilities, schools, health clinics and livelihoods – all of which must be done in collaboration with the affected communities.
Local populations are best-placed to know what their needs will be and it must be them who lead discussions on what their reconstructed communities will look like. It’s vital that the recovery operation take into account local customs and traditions.
The people of northern Pakistan have shown incredible resilience in the face of this terrible tragedy. In the first few weeks after the quake, many were so traumatised it was difficult for them to carry out work of any kind. But they soon started to help themselves by clearing rubble, and rebuilding their shelters and livelihoods – something which strengthened the capacity of the humanitarian community to deliver the necessary relief and support.
Over the coming months, their resilience will again be tested as they face the possibility of landslides and flooding due to heavy rains. Our goal is to continue to support communities, and provide a safety net for vulnerable groups, as they face these challenges and take the lead in rebuilding their lives.