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 Rains, Storm, and Cyclone Yemyin affect Pakistan's Sindh, Balochistan and NWFP

LATEST UPDATES

August 09 , 2007

5 die as rain, storm lash Sindh

Five people were killed and at least 10 others injured after heavy rain and strong winds lashed different parts of Sindh on Wednesday. In Hyderabad, Tando Mohammad Khan and Jamshoro districts, rain continued intermittently late into the night and the meteorological office predicted more moderate to heavy rain for Thursday in Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas divisions.

The Met office recorded 17mm of rain, which brought the temperature down to 29.1 degree Celsius from 39.5 earlier in the day. The speed of north-eastern windstorm was 50 nautical miles per hour.

A lineman of the Hyderabad Electric Supply Company, Azhar Ali Arain, died after he fell from an electricity pole in Kali Mori.

In Rehman town, a labourer died after stumbling from a rooftop during the storm. A fisherman from Kotri, Mehar Mallah, drowned near the Hyderabad bypass when he jumped into the Indus River after two boats of his fellow fishermen capsized.

Ten people, among them five women, were injured in Tando Mohammad Khan after a telephone tower struck houses of the Kohli community in Peer Mohallah. The names of the injured were Ms Heera, Ms Lachmi, Ms Mummy, Ms Sapna, Ms Shanti, Rano, Som Jee, Lakho and Bhemlo.

The district nazim announced compensation for the injured. Police took the injured to hospital.

A vast area of Hyderabad suffered electricity breakdown after the rain and windstorm, which uprooted signboards and trees. Electricity wires also fell on roads.

The major arteries in the city developed puddles, causing traffic jams on Qadam Gah Maula Ali, Cloth Market, Tulsi Das, Shah Makki and Latifabad-Hyderabad roads.

A Hesco spokesman said the storm had badly affected power supply from different feeders, rendering five grid stations inoperative.

NAWABSHAH: Rain and strong winds hit Nawabshah town and adjoining areas.

According to the Met office, Nawabshah recorded 6mm of rain. It forecast more rain for another three days. There was a widespread power failure after the downpour.

THATTA: Low-lying areas in Thatta, Sujawal, Chuhar Jamali, Jati and other towns were inundated after a spell of heavy rain. A gust of wind blew away roofs of several poultry farms and thatched houses. Power supply to many areas was disrupted.

In the coastal towns of Shah Bunder, Keti Bunder and Jati, rain fell continually the whole day and flood water submerged settlements.

Syed Gulab Shah, president of the Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum's Thatta chapter, told Dawn that about 2,000 fishermen were out in the deep sea for fishing and the administration had not been unable to establish contacts with them. .

On the Hyderabad-Thatta National Highway, dozens of vehicles were stranded as rainwater rendered a portion of the road near Chhatto Chand impassable.

BADIN: Heavy rain, accompanied by dust storm, lashed Badin and other towns of the district. The 30-minute spell inundated low-lying areas and caused disruption in power supply.

Two people were killed when lightning struck a neighbourhood in Tando Bago.

The district administration advised fishermen not to venture into the sea.

Our Reporter in Karachi adds: The Meteorological Department said on Wednesday the monsoon weather system over India had started influencing Sindh.

The department forecast that the system would reach the north-eastern Arabian Sea by Thursday evening.

The system would bring widespread rain, dust storm and thunderstorm to Sindh, especially in the south and the coastal areas, including Karachi, on Thursday and Friday.

Heavy rain is also likely in southern Balochistan, especially along the coastal areas, on Friday and Saturday, the Met Department said.

July 27, 2007

Flood-affected Afghan refugees receive assistance in Balochistan

An estimated 4,000 Afghan refugees living in camps in Pakistan's flood-affected Balochistan Province are now receiving assistance, the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has confirmed.

"At the moment, we are covering the needs of the Afghan refugees," Babar Baloch, a UNHCR spokesman, said from the provincial capital Quetta.

Communities in refugee-hosting areas were also being assisted, he said. "Most of the impact was on the host communities. we've probably helped more Pakistanis at this point in time than Afghans."

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on 25 July, an estimated 2.5 million people were affected by flooding in Balochistan and Sindh provinces, after cyclone Yemyin first struck the country on 23 June. Four days of torrential rain left 319 people dead, 224 others missing and some 377,000 displaced or homeless.

Five camps affected

Of the more than two million registered Afghans living in Pakistan today, some 440,000 live in Balochistan, a vast, sparsely populated province of just over 8 million inhabitants.

Approximately 20 percent of these Afghan refugees in Balochistan, or 88,000 people, live in 12 refugee camps in the province. Only 4,000 of 40,000 refugees that live in five of the camps were affected by floods, according to the UNHCR.

Of these, Posti, Lejaykarez, Chagai and Girdi Jungle camps are located in Chagai District, 450km southwest of Quetta. The latter is home to some 30,000 refugees and the largest of the camps. Malgagai, the fifth affected camp is located in Killasaifullah District, about 250km north of Quetta.

"The water system there was badly damaged," Baloch said, referring to the situation in Malgagai.

As part of the UNHCR's response through local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs), comprised primarily of non-food related items, some 3,000 tents have been distributed thus far, as well as over 13,000 tarpaulins.

"Initially when we arrived there weren't many tents available. Plastic sheeting is now being used as an alternative to the tents," Baloch said.

Restocking

Following the UNHCR's immediate response to the disaster, the next challenge facing the agency is the replenishment of stocks used in the operation, Baloch said. The UNHCR is now largely dependent on contributions made to its share of the UN's US$38 million flash appeal for flood affected areas, launched in Geneva on 18 July.

"We've distributed practically everything," he remarked. "These stocks were not meant for emergencies, but rather for the refugee camps' needs all over Pakistan. Now we need to replenish these stocks."

As part of the appeal, the UNHCR has requested $2.7 million to provide shelter material for some 150,000 people in refugee-hosting areas.

July 26, 2007

Program briefing: Emergency response to Pakistan flooding

In response to severe flooding in Pakistan, Action Against Hunger participated in joint assessments of conditions in Pakistan's Sindh and Balochistan provinces during the last week of June and in early July. Operations on the ground were established in Larkana on July 18th.

In the last week of June 2007, the combined effect of the cyclone Yemyin and massive monsoon rains has caused flooding in various districts of Balochistan and Sindh, Pakistan's two southernmost provinces. 2.5 million people have been affected in 28 districts, of whom 400,000 have been left homeless.

Of the five affected districts of Sindh, the districts of Shadadkot and Dadu were the most severely hit. It is reported that massive flooding experienced in these Districts is due primarily to breaches of the Flood Protection Bund.

Reports indicate that more than 100,000 people have been displaced in Shadadkot and Dadu.

Adverse effects on water and sanitation in these Districts can be summarized as follows:

- Sources of drinking water (irrigation channels, tube wells, shallow wells) are physically damaged;

- Flood waters have surrounded some of the elevated villages, preventing inhabitants from leaving to fetch safe drinking water;

- In the places where internally displaced populations (IDPs) are gathering (improvised camps, government buildings, etc...), the water and sanitation facilities are insufficient;

- Due to general destruction/loss of infrastructure, some people are currently lacking basic water transport and storage items, as well as basic hygiene items.

Action Against Hunger has initiated an emergency program to address water, sanitation, and hygiene that will assist 20,000 flood-affected persons in the districts of Shadadkot and Dadu. The program's integrated approach includes the following activities:

- Water trucking in the IDP camps (as they are accessible by road and are not sufficiently covered by the current governmental water trucking schemes);

- Hand-augered wells with hand-pumps (an accepted water source for this area), to be established in flood-affected villages that lack road access;

- Water treatment/purification at the household level (to be implemented in places where the water turbidity allows the distribution of water purification tablets);

- Construction of Emergency toilets (mainly in IDPs camps) for general sanitary conditions, and to address privacy issues for women;

- A Non-Food Items (NFI) distribution to be conducted (including containers for water transport/storage as well as hygiene items). NFI distributions are complemented by sensitization sessions on their use;

- Hygiene promotion campaigns (to focus on the use of safe drinking water, use of toilets, hand-washing with soap at appropriate times).

DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE OF THE AMERICAN EMBASSY IN ISLAMABAD; USAID SENDS SUPPLIES AND EMERGENCY KITS FOR FLOOD VICTIMS

July 18, 2007

Mercy Corps Reaches Villages Unvisited by Aid

Relief workers continue to reach flooded-out villages with emergency supplies such as rice, oil and bottled water. For many, it is the first aid they've received since Pakistan's deluge began in late June.

Mercy Corps has distributed more than 8,800 emergency kits with food, water and basic supplies to Pakistan flood survivors, with teams continuing to reach displaced families who haven't received any aid since the deluge began three weeks ago.

Late Thursday, July 12, Mercy Corps relief trucks finally reached the washed-out village of Jhal Magsi with the first of an eventual 5,000 kits, which contain rice, oil, sugar, bottled water, soap and other basic supplies. The team "literally waded into water to register families" earlier in the week, according to Dee Goluba, a member of the agency's Global Emergency Operations team who is coordinating the flood response.

Also on Thursday, aid workers finished a 36-hour distribution of roughly 3,000 kits to families in Shadad Kot in Sindh Province. People there are living along 15 kilometers of the main road, sleeping in makeshift shelters and braving daytime temperatures as high as 118 degrees Fahrenheit.

More than 50 agency workers are currently involved in efforts to reach 90,000 people in 151 villages. Eventually, 11,000 households will receive the family emergency kits, which also include lentils, tea, candles and matches, and a wash bucket. Partial funding for the kits comes from a grant from USAID's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance.

Other Mercy Corps teams are evaluating how to help families along the coast rebuild their livelihoods by rehabilitating agricultural fields and mango groves, and replacing fishermen's tools of the trade.

The agency also hopes to being a cash-for-work program this weekend using part of a $500,000 grant awarded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to bolster the flood response. The program will give local residents a way to earn an income by clearing debris, repairing bridges and other infrastructure and helping speed the recovery.

Pakistan's deadly floods came as South Asia's monsoon season began - and on the heels of a June 24 cyclone that drenched Baluchistan, Pakistan's largest and poorest province, which is bordered by Iran, Afghanistan and the Arabian Sea.

Rains have washed away dams, bridges, and railways, and marooned rural villages with little communications infrastructure. This isolation has complicated efforts to gather information about the extent of flood damage: the latest estimate of the number of people affected now stands at 2.5 million, and other estimates indicate 250,000 or more have been left homeless.

Mercy Corps has worked in Pakistan since the mid-1980s, and currently operates development programs — aiding Afghan refugees, reducing the incidence of tuberculosis and improving maternal and child health — in five of the eight districts hit worst by the floods. Response teams mobilized quickly, a day after the cyclone, and are finding "pockets of people lined up along the road" and any other places that sit above the water line, Goluba says.

Please consider a gift to our South Asia Monsoon fund to help us reach survivors with aid and help families recover what they've lost.

July 13, 2007

Highlights of Press Briefing by Emegency Relief Coordinator on Flash Appeal in Response to Floods in Pakistan

John Holmes, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, briefed journalists this morning on the situation in Baluchistan, Pakistan following the floods there, and the launch of the United Nations flash appeal for $ 38 million.

Explaining the situation, Mr. Holmes said the flooding in Pakistan was extremely serious this year, much worse than normal in areas which were used to flash-flooding during the monsoon season. There were nearly 2.5 million affected, 377,000 people homeless, 300 to 400 deaths, and many missing. It was a very serious situation, which the Government was addressing as best it could, and relatively successfully. The Government had been using helicopters and planes to get to the area, as access was difficult. The United Nations had been working closely with the Government, which had not appealed for help, but had said that any help from the international community was welcome. Teams had been deployed from Geneva and from Islamabad, and there was now a reasonable picture of the situation.

The flash appeal had been issued this morning for $ 38 million to cover the immediate needs of the population affected for the next three months. This was not a one-off appeal, as usual, and would be expanded in future as needs became clearer.

Of the $ 38 million, the biggest part was to restore people’s livelihoods as quickly as possible, namely $ 9 million for early recovery activities. Shelter was also an immediate priority: tents had been sent in large quantities, but there was a need to examine the situation from a longer-term basis, with more permanent shelter solutions. The other major items included health, which was for between $ 4 to 5 million. So far there were no reports of outbreaks of communicable diseases, but the risk was clearly high due to the weather situation. The other major item was water and sanitation - many water sources had been destroyed or affected, and there was an immediate need for fresh water and to restore and repair the water sources as soon as possible.

The Central Emergency Relief Fund had already given $ 4.4 million to kick-start the recovery activities. There had been pledges from international donors of around $ 6.5 million before this morning’s launch of the appeal. There were indications to suggest that there should be a reasonably generous response, with donors talking of contributions between $ 1 to 3 million or 1 to 3 million euros.

The waters had or were going down, Mr. Holmes said, but the risk had not gone away. It was early in the monsoon season, and the authorities were expecting further heavy rains over the next few months. The danger of flooding had not receded, and the pressure on the levies and dams was already high. The situation was serious, and was by no means over, as there was a need to mitigate future flooding as well as resolve the current situation.

In response to a question on why the appeal was launched two weeks after that of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and whether this was due to the weather situation, Mr. Holmes responded that the delaying factor was more the need to go and investigate the situation and coordinate with the Government of Pakistan as to what the needs were. Baluchistan was not the safest nor the easiest area to access, and it had been agreed that it was preferable to get the needs quite right first.

Answering a question on how the people themselves were coping, whether they were in tents, and what their psychological situation was, Mr. Holmes said those affected had been very seriously affected, with women and children the most affected and the most vulnerable. People were sheltering to some extent in public buildings, schools and clinics, where these existed, with families in other villages, but there were also a number of roadside camps which were quite crude. Tens of thousands of people were in these camps, and they were not intended to be long-term structures. There were about 120 of these, scattered around main roads. There was not much shelter, and conditions were particularly desperate. Psychologically, people were devastated, of course.

Responding to whether it was possible to restore livelihoods when the rains were continuing, Mr. Holmes said this could be done, but it would take time. The Food and Agriculture Organization was working to ensure that the next harvest, in October, would not be a complete wash-out, and there were tools for the farmers available so that they could restart their activities as soon as possible. The intention was very much to ensure that people would be ready for the next agricultural season.

July 18, 2007

CWS Emergency Appeal: Pakistan 2007 Flood Response

Appeal Amount: $5.3 million

SITUATION: Since late June, southern Pakistan has been hit by several cycles of poor weather, including rains affecting the coastal regions of Sindh and Balochistan provinces. Karachi, Pakistan's largest city, was hit by rains that resulted in floods that destroyed at least 500 homes; most seriously tropical cyclone Yemyin hit southern Balochistan and another storm struck Karachi, killing more than 230 people; strong wind gusts brought down houses of many residents living in the city's slums. Up to 250,000 people in Balochistan were affected by the cyclone and killed at least 17 people.

The situation by 30th June worsened, with provincial and army officials now estimating that 10,000 people have perished -- an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 houses have been destroyed in Balochistan alone. The total numbers affected range from 1.5 to 2 million people. Many live in makeshift shelters, in the patched up ruins of their homes or out in the open.

Church World Service Pakistan/Afghanistan has conducted assessments in several of these areas and reports:

Sindh Province (Gadap Town, suburbs of Karachi): In this area, approximately 1,000 houses have been either severely damaged or completely destroyed. 24 people have been reported dead and 250 injured, including a high number of women and children. 400 livestock are reported missing, though this is considered a low figure and in general, agriculture has been badly affected by the storms, with an estimated economic loss of $3.5 million - a figure that is expected to rise. Among the problems facing survivors of the disaster is that of water contamination. The displaced have been moved to temporary camps, and Church World Service has begun distribution of relief items.

Thatta District: Rains have continued along the costal belt of Thatta and Badin, disrupting life and causing serious damage to agricultural crops; as well, entire villages have been inundated by heavy rains. In one area, 5,200 homes have been destroyed; at least four people have been killed; in another area, 400 villages are reported affected by heavy wind storms and rains. 21,400 families are reported shelterless. 9,730 houses are partly damaged while 5,730 houses are completely destroyed.

Balochistan Province (Turbat District): Rainfall on 26th June in Turbat, coupled with the floodwater that entered Turbat city and inundating large sections of the city, caused more than 33,000 people to evacuate their houses. In some areas, water supply and drainage systems have been completely destroyed; there are acute food shortages; skin diseases, malaria and other water born diseases are common, with children and women being the most vulnerable and at-risk.

Because CWS has a significant operational presence in the region, it is not anticipated Pakistan's deteriorating political situation (such as hostilities between anti-governmental and military loyalists) will hinder humanitarian response to the flooding.

RESPONSE: Church World Service and local partners have been conducting rapid assessments in Gadap Town, Karachi, Sindh Province; Thatta District, Sindh Province; and Turbat District, Balochistan Province. CWS is responding by providing assistance to more than 20,000 households in the three target areas, with the specific objectives of:

1. Providing house reconstruction materials to 1,000 families in Turbat District, and to 300 families in Thatta District and Gadap.

2. Providing medical assistance to affected individuals in Turbat, Thatta and Gadap through five mobile health clinics, including preventative and curative services to 33,750 persons, and vaccinations to 15,000 persons.

3. Fulfilling the hygienic needs of the 2,000 selected families by providing 2,000 hygiene kits and conducting awareness sessions on health and hygiene.

4. Providing community services and psychosocial support to selected storm/rain affected families.

5. Providing safe water, safe sanitary facilities to 12,000 families in the target areas.

6. Training 500 aid workers through two "training of trainers" sessions, one in Karachi and one in Quetta, and four introductory workshops, two in Sindh and 2 two in Balochistan, on Sphere standards.

July 17, 2007

Additional Funds Needed to Help Pakistani Flood Survivors

Conditions remain very difficult for the more than two million people affected by heavy floods in south-west Pakistan, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, which is working with the Pakistan Red Crescent to respond to the disaster.

“The situation is improving somewhat in western Baluchistan, where the waters are receding,” says the International Federation’s Field Assessment and Coordination Team leader, Ian Heigh. “But moving flood water, made worse by ongoing rains, continues to make life miserable for many affected communities in the province of Sindh. We’re also concerned that it’s threatening new villages in the region.”

In response to the ongoing disaster, the International Federation is revising upwards its preliminary emergency appeal, launched on 4 July, from an initial request of 10.4 million Swiss francs ($8.5 million USD/ €6.2 million) to 21 million Swiss francs ($17 million USD / €12.8 million).

The funds will go towards providing 51,500 households, or around 360,000 people, with much-needed relief, including food, shelter building materials, health services, safe drinking water and latrines, as well as hygiene awareness and livelihoods assistance.

“I have seen many disasters in my village, like droughts and floods, but I have not seen this type of massive destruction in my lifetime,” says Sherim Bibi, a 55-year-old widow, who lives in Balochabad, Baluchistan. “My house, my whole village were washed away in an instant.”

More than 67,000 homes have been damaged across Baluchistan and Sindh, while damage to water and sewer systems is increasing the spread of disease, which is compounded by a lack of bathing facilities.

The International Federation plans to strategically deploy at least five Emergency Response Units (ERUs), specialized in the areas of logistics, water and sanitation, and health care, as part of its flood relief operation.

“We are also in charge of coordinating how the shelter needs of affected people are being met by the various humanitarian agencies on the ground,” says the head of disaster management for the International Federation in Pakistan, Asar Ul Haq.

“Shelter is still a major issue,” says Ul Haq. “Some people have made improvised shelters using raised bed frames, while others are sleeping outdoors, and of course people are worried that the heavy rains will continue… so we’re looking very carefully at how best to meet their near and longer-term needs."

The International Federation and the Pakistan Red Crescent Society are working in close coordination with the authorities and other humanitarian agencies, including the United Nations, to provide assistance to vulnerable communities as quickly and efficiently as possible.

July 17, 2007

50,000 Affected People Rescued From Flood Hit Areas of Sindh, Balochistan

Pakistan Army Troops continued their uninterrupted efforts on Monday to provide relief and rescue to the people suffering in flood hit areas of Balochistan and Sindh. Since the start of operations, 117 sorties of PAF C-130 aircraft and 861 sorties of Army Aviation helicopters have flown to provide relief to people of flood affected areas. Over 50,000 affected people have been rescued by Pakistan Army Troops so far. During the operation 1,782 tons of rations, 12,840 tents, 21,558 water bottles, 1,759 cartons of medicine and 7,352 blankets have been distributed in flood affected areas of Balochistan to date. With the dedicated endeavours of Pakistan Army engineers and FWO, complete Makran Coastal, Karachi-Kalat-Quetta-Chamman, Lakpass-Dalbandin-Taftan and Sukkur-Sibbi-Quetta highways remain operational. Further, Surab-Hoshab and Peshawar-Torkham section of GT road are also clear and trafficable for all types of vehicles. Pakistan Army distributed 7.15 tons of rations, tents, mineral water and blankets in Kambar. Moreover, 12 trucks containing 1,306 ration packs, 71 cartons of mineral water, 129 bags of rice, 2,724 packets of Ghee, candles and 183 cartons of clothes were distributed in Shahdadkot for flood affected people.

Download the Latest Situation Report of the World Health Organization

Download the Latest Damage Area Map Compiled by ReliefWeb

Download the UNOSAT Satellite Imagery of Flooded Areas

Balochistan

1. There are around 5,000 affected villages that suffered severe disruption of electricity and water and also lack of communication infrastructure.

3. The Provincial Relief Commissioner of Balochistan stated that almost all of the population around the Jhal Magsi District was displaced (according to the Government census, the total population of Jhal Magsi stands at approximately 140,000). Crops and livestock have been destroyed by the floods. Jhal Magsi remains inaccessible via roads and efforts are being carried out to prioritize aid to this area.

4. Various national media have reported that more than 30 villages of Jafferabad district were submerged under water due to flash floods. Diarrhea, gastroenteritis and skin diseases are on the rise.

Sindh

5. According to the NDMA, water is receding in the flood-affected districts of Sindh and the situation gradually stabilizing. Later reports indicate that there are over 16,000 houses damaged, 107,397 displaced persons. Crops and orchards have also been damaged. The worst affected is the Shahdad Kot District.

6. Unconfirmed media reports showed that 20 more villages had been flooded in Union Council Warah Taluka's Gaji Khuhawar, District Larkana.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

7. The president visited one of the worst affected areas of Sindh, Shahdadkot town, where 30,000 people had been displaced. He announced that RS 15,000 (approximately $250) will be given to each flood affected person.

8. The priorities for the government are provision of shelter, water and medicine, reestablishing the road network-especially inside Balochistan- and taking measures to avoid outbreak of any epidemic.

9. As of 9 July, the NDMA reported 99 C-130 flights carrying 753 MT of relief supplies, and 188 helicopter flights carrying 167 MT to the flood affected areas. The Navy and Utility Stores Corporation (USC) has distributed items, including food rations, drinking water, tents and medicines.

10. The NDMA reported to have around 70 relief camps set up in Shahdadkot Town, Sindh Providence. More than 100,000 people have been evacuated from 1,170 small villages. Approximately 10,000 persons are camping outside on the roadside. In Shahdadkot town, 500 tents and 5,000 school bags sufficient for one family per week have been distributed whereas another 20,000 are being procured. There are 8 medical camps and 12 mobile medical teams working in the area.

11. The Balochistan Provincial Government has deployed 162 staff in 72 medical camps along with 25 mobile teams in Balochistan.

COORDINATED ASSISTANCE

(International & National)

12. The Government of Pakistan (GoP) and the humanitarian community as a whole partners working through the Cluster system are currently engaged in a major coordinated assessment of the needs and damages in the affected areas. Both UNDAC and FACT (IFRC) teams are supporting this operation. More detailed analysis and updates are therefore expected from the Cluster leads in the coming days.

13. DFID has committed up to £1 million (approximately USD 273,000) to help the flood relief operations in Pakistan. DFID has also deployed two humanitarian experts to participate in the needs' assessments.

14. Water purification plants received from France will be installed in Baluchistan. Iran has sent relief items to Gwadar.

15. The German Federal Foreign Office has provided 200,000 Euro (approximately USD 273,000) to two German aid organizations, Malteser International and Humedica, which will distribute materials for emergency shelters and urgently needed relief goods to the flood victims. The German Consulate-General in Karachi is providing homeless families in the flooded area with tents, medicines and food packages.

Assessments

16. For the Joint Assessment Mission in Quetta, an orientation meeting was arranged with the Provincial Home Secretary and the NDMA on 8 July, where the assessment checklist and field research methodology for both road and helicopter missions were introduced.

17. Six road assessment missions to be concluded in six days have started on Monday and air assessments are being carried out over Khoran, Khuzdar, Sibi, and Usta Muhammad, with overflights of Jhal Magsi, in Balochistan providence.

18. FAO is currently undertaking a three-person assessment mission in the surrounding districts. They will return to Quetta in the coming days and share their findings. Initial reports indicate widespread livestock and crop damage.

19. UNHCR is also conducting independent assessments of the Kharan, Chaghi and Noshki areas in Balochistan. The UNDAC team will be making contact with HCR field staff currently based in Kharan and Chaghi for information on the current situation. In Chaghi, Posti and Lejay Karez, UNHCR provided material assistance to both Afghan and local affected population.

20. A Federation Assessment and Coordination Team (FACT), consisting of International and existing in-country personnel, has assembled in Karachi and is being deployed to the areas affected by flooding. Two teams, each consisting of 5 technical experts will work with their respective Pakistan Red Crescent Society counterparts in both Sindh and Baluchistan provinces to assess, plan and implement assistance programmes.

21. In addition a FACT shelter expert has been released to support the rapid joint assessment team in Baluchistan.

Cluster Activities

Food Cluster

21. WFP is coordinating with NDMA and the Provincial Relief Commissioner to determine the amount of food and areas to be covered. On 8 July, WFP supplied a total of 3.24 MT to Noshki and Sibi for 5,400 people. On 9 July, WFP has dispatched 54 MT supplies to District Khuzdar for 9,000 people. Nutrition Cluster

22. The Nutrition Cluster has been officially formed in Islamabad. A senior Emergency Nutrition Officer will arrive in Islamabad on 9 July to lead the Cluster.

23. Information related to Nutrition was included into the ongoing Rapid Assessment Survey. The Balochistan authorities have requested UNICEF to undertake a rapid nutrition assessment, to be approved by NDMA.

24. UNICEF Quetta Office handed over 60 MT of UNIMIX, food for vulnerable children, lactating and pregnant women [to the Balochistan Relief Commissioner]. About 90% of this has already been distributed to the flood affected districts. Leaflets on local language on how to prepare UNIMIX were developed and distributed along with the food. An additional 70 MT of UNIMIX and 445 cartons PB5, (ready-to-eat food) arrived in Quetta on 8 July.

25. Essential supplies (Oxfam kits) required to set up the Therapeutic Feeding Centers for severely malnourished children have already been sent to Quetta.

Health Cluster

26. Snake bite cases have increased: NDMA reported on Monday 394 cases of snake bites (312 in Sindh and 82 in Balochistan) but NDMA indicates that adequate stocks of Anti-Snake Venom (ASV) are available. Cases of diarrhea, scabies, skin rash and malaria have been reported from various districts in Baluchistan. More than 50 cases of Dengue Fever - including 2 deaths- have been reported in Karachi.

27. NDMA has asked the Ministry of Health (MoH) to report daily on disease surveillance and control. Assessment reports and details of the disease surveillance and control activities will be presented to the NDMA by MoH officers this week.

Logistics Cluster

28. Relief goods are being moved by the Pakistani Air Force C-130s from Islamabad to Karachi; by helicopter from Jacobabad, Turbat, and Quetta; and by sea from Karachi to Gwadar and Turbat. Goods are being moved by road through the National Logistics Cell (NLC) by the Utilities Stores Corporation from Islamabad to Quetta.

29. Action Contre la Faim (ACF) is looking at Nutrition and Water and Sanitation projects including emergency water-tankering. ACF also has emergency stocks in Abbottabad and is looking for common storage in Quetta.

Information Management

31. The Information Management working group held a meeting in Islamabad to establish a website (http://pfic.webexone.com) where all data can be found including situation reports, meeting minutes, flood-related assessment reports and other related documents. With the help of UN Habitat, a 3W Matrix is being mapped showing 'who's doing what where', initially by district and to be followed by a Union Council map. The results from the joint assessment team will also be posted on the website. The NDMA website is available to download minutes, document and presentations at http://www.ndma.gov.pk/FLOODNews.html

32. 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/

6 July 2007 

As rains stopped, the situation in the flood affected districts in Sindh and Balochistan improved significantly, with the exception of district Kamber where there was a breach in Saifullah Canal at Chukhi Bridge, displacing approximately 30,000 people. Most of the displaced people in the worst rain/ flood affected areas in Karachi, Thatta, and Badin have returned to their original places and life in these areas is returning to normal. No epidemic/outbreaks and deaths due to communicable diseases have been reported so far.

Urgent needs
1. Need to address the possible duplication of relief operation by improving coordination on how relief items and services are distributed.
2. The mobile health teams need to be increased in number to serve the large displaced population who cannot reach functioning health facilities.
3. Contingency plans for medical supplies and emergency response are necessary in the event that monsoon rains create further flooding.
4. Monitoring of increasing AWD cases in Baluchistan.
5. The number and location of IDP camps to be determined.
6. The drinking water shortage should be addressed on priority

4 July 2007 

After one week of torrential rain and heavy flooding in Karachi, Balochistan and North-West Frontier Province, forecasts show improvements in the weather. In Balochistan still 60% of the affected areas are not accessible due to flooding and damage to road infrastructure. Large scale displacement is reported, with some still waiting rescue in the hardest hit areas. Rescue operations are only possible through helicopters or heavy vehicles. Official government reports show an estimated 2 million people affected by the floods and 250 deaths. The health cluster was activated in Islamabad and Karachi. A joint flash appeal seeking for external funding for health response is being developed. Federal and Provincial Ministries of Health established Health Emergency Operation Centers in Islamabad, Karachi and Quetta.

3 July 2007

Cyclone Yemyin in Balochistan

- Fifteen districts are badly affected in Balochistan, with Bella and Uthal tehsil in Lasbella district among the hardest hit with 40% of the total population affected

(approximately 150,000 people).

- In Khuzdar district 10 villages are reportedly completely washed away by the rains. Storm and rains in Sindh (Karachi)

- Over 250 villages reportedly disappeared by the rains. Approximately 50 000 people lost their homes in Qabu Saeed Khan Village of (Shahdadkot district).

- Coastline areas of Gadap, Kemari and Bin Qasim are worst hit, with adjoining areas of Thatta, and Dadu badly affected. The overflowing Layari Nadi River is threatening the population living on shorelines. Damages have been reported to the Kirthar canal in Mirpur Khas district and Rankot dam in Dadu district, threatening neighboring population

- The NGO HOPE, working in Thatta district, reported 21000 displaced people without shelter, with 5334 houses damaged. Monsoon rains in North-West Frontier Province (NWFP)

- Monsoon floods resulted in 925 destroyed houses, and 7290 partially damaged in NWFP: one of the earthquake affected districts. The Peshawar Provincial Relief Commissioner reported 101 deaths.

Health impact

Balochistan

- More than 40% of the 74 functional health facilities in Lasbela district are partially or fully damaged: Bela Civil Hospital was partially damaged due to the rains but still operational, one Civil Dispensary in Khurkera and 5 Basic Health Units were totally destroyed in the floods. All 3 hospitals, 4 Rural Health Centers, and 4 Mother and Child Health centers are operational, but 40% of the Basic Health Units (44) and Civil Dispensaries (26) are damaged.

- The functioning health facilities report cases of malaria, acute respiratory infections, and skin infections. Other districts, such as Kech and Nasirabad, report an increased number of cases of gastroenteritis and snake bites.

- District Health Officer in Turbat reported an increase in acute watery diarrhea cases from the district headquarter hospital. Request for IV fluids and medicines have been made.

Health response

1. Assessment and monitoring

- The International Agency for Source Country Information shared the results of a joint rapid assessment conducted in the flood-affected areas of Balochistan and Sindh. Worst affected are Kech (Turbat), Gawadar, Naseerabad/Jaffarabad, Sibi, Bolan, Jhal Magasi and Thatta.

Balochistan

- Two WHO teams managed to reach Bella and Uthal tehsils in Lasbela district for an assessment of health facilities. Much of the district is still inaccessible. All 3 hospitals, 4 Rural Health Centers, and 4 Mother and Child Health centers are operational, but 40% of the Basic Health Units (44) and Civil Dispensaries (26) are damaged.

Sindh

- Aga Khan Foundation and the World Food Programme conducted surveys in Keti Bunder in Thatta district, to define what further interventions are necessary. Results are pending.

2. Health coordination

- The Federal Ministry of Health supported by WHO has activated the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HEPR) cell lodged at Pakistan institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in Islamabad. The cell is operating to facilitate emergency response and preparedness activities/ plans for the flood affected areas and communities.

- The health cluster system has been reactivated, and health partners are meeting daily at the HEPR cell.

Sindh

- A Health Emergency Operation Centre was established in Karachi by the Department of Health, Sindh Government, to coordinate relief and response activities.

3. Filling health gaps

- So far, WHO dispatched one complete New Emergency Health Kit (NEHK), 20 NEHK basic boxes, 8 Italian trauma kits, one cholera kit, 450,000 chlorine tablets and 1000 vials of anti-snake venom. UNFPA provided 2000 sanitation kits each to Balochistan and Sindh health departments. (see table)

- A total of 44 flights have been operated for rescue operations and flood supplies by the Government of Pakistan.

- The Primary Health Care programme of the Federal Ministry of Health in Islamabad provided 495,000 Oral Rehydration Salts sachets, 36,000 chlorine tablets, and other essential drugs to their district programs.

- The National Institute of Health (NIH) provided the army with 200 vials of anti-snake venom and 200 to the Government of Sindh.

Karachi

- UNFPA has one mobile service unit in Thatta.

- Sindh health authorities established 7 fixed and 9 mobile health camps in Qamber Shazad Kot (on the border of Sindh and Balochistan) as well as 6 mobile health camps in Joi talka, Mehr, and Khairpur Nathan Shah in Dadu district.

Balochistan

- The district health authority provided three mobile health clinics from Uthal to Vinder, Hilgor, and Bela in Lasbela district.

- WHO provided the District Health Officer in Lasbela with 30,000 aqua purifying tablets, one basic health kit and one trauma kit.

- The District Health Officers in Khuzdar and Nasirabad established medical camps in all of the affected tehsils to provide medical services.

4. Preserving and supporting local health systems

- The Disease Early Warning System (DEWS) was activated in the assessed areas.

- Treatment guidelines for acute watery diarrhea will be distributed to partners in the affected areas.

- The Lady Health Worker (LHW) programme initiated a mass Behavior Change Communication (BCC) campaign in affected areas on sanitation and hygiene aspects.

Urgent needs

Balochistan

- There is an urgent need for rescue services in Oraki village.

- Shelter and food are needed in Lasbela district.

- Spraying and other vector control methods should be applied to prevent mosquito breeding.

- District Health Officers from Kech and Lesbela have requested for essential drugs.

2 July 2007

According to Balochistan Provincial relief commissioner 1.5 million affected and 300,000 homeless in 14 district of Balochistan as a result of cyclone Yemyin. Access to the affected areas in Balochistan is limited; preliminary health assessments show all 34 Basic Health Units (BHUs) in Lasbella flooded. Large parts of the area covered by water and people seeking refuge on roof tops. Weather forecasts of continuing rains may threaten to damage more buildings and roads. WHO is supporting the Pakistan Ministry of Health, in close collaboration with UNICEF and other health partners with the provision of essential drugs as well as chlorine tablets. Five medical relief camps are functioning on a 24 hour basis in Karachi to provide health care to the affected population.

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