![[Pakistan] Up to 100,000 may see out the winter in camps across the quake zone. [Date picture taken: 12/15/2006]](https://assets.thenewhumanitarian.org/s3fs-public/styles/responsive_large_2x/public/images/200612155.jpg.webp?itok=xFrlPWba "Up to 100,000 may see out the winter in camps across the quake zone")
As the snow falls in the mountains of quake-stricken northern Pakistan, the race is now on to provide support in the valleys below for thousands of families driven from their homes by severe weather.
Up to 60,000 people could swell the existing population in tented camps across the quake zone in the weeks ahead to almost 100,000, who will see out the winter under canvas or corrugated iron sheets in the valleys.
Many families whose homes were destroyed in last year’s disaster have been unable to rebuild and remain in inadequate shelter in their mountain villages.
Their situation is compounded by lost livelihoods, potential food insecurity and a threat of disease as weather conditions deteriorate. High altitude areas will see temperatures plummet below minus 20 Celcius in the weeks ahead and some communities could be cut off for weeks by heavy snow, aid workers warn.
In Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province (NWFP) alone up to 50,000 people could be forced from their mountain homes by harsh weather to seek shelter and food in government-run camps supported by the international aid community.
That’s the view of Mansehra-based district co-ordination officer (DCO), Shakeel Qadar Khan. “In the worst case scenario 50,000 people could come down from the mountains to seek help in the camps if the weather is very bad,” he warned.
In Pakistani-administered Kashmir, a further 10,000 people could move from high altitude villages to the camps in search of support in the weeks ahead, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in a recent survey.
However, Muzaffarabad-based Raja Abbas, Additional Commissioner for the government-backed Camp Management Organisation, believes the figure could be lower for Pakistani-administered Kashmir.
“Last year we had similar reports, but the winter was mild and the numbers were less than feared,” Abbas said. “We are hoping for the same this year, but are making contingency plans just in case and have identified four or five sites for additional camps, with a combined capacity for up to 1,000 families, if needed,” he claimed.
There are currently 40 camps in Muzaffarabad and four in Bagh district, already with a total population of 29,500-plus. Most are landless, still waiting for their cases to be heard for relocation or victims of August’s monsoon rains, Abbas added.
He said all camp families were being issued with further equipment, including additional corrugated galvanised iron sheeting, or winter tents, blankets and quilts.
“But many families come down and however bad the weather, we hope to be ready,” he said.
In NWFP there are currently three established camps, with a combined population of around 5,000 people. With the exception of Jaba camp, close to Balakot, there is capacity for expansion for an additional 800 families. Here too the DCO confirmed winterisation of existing camp families is in progress.
A decision to open a further camp at Kashtarh has been taken within the last fortnight to cope with any overspill and act as a “shock-absorber” if needed. It has an initial capacity for 500 families.
But DCO Qadar Khan said the policy was to try and keep families up in their mountain communities by maintaining access during heavy snowfalls or landslides.
“We will be attempting to keep the roads clear and have positioned additional earth-moving equipment in key areas,” Khan said, noting one of the biggest fears within mountain communities was the threat of being cut off.
IOM released a comprehensive survey in November of the most vulnerable quake-affected families living in the mountains, which suggests up to 30,000 will leave their communities in NWFP to seek aid in the camps this winter and a further 10,000 across Pakistani-administered Kashmir.
John Sampson, IOM’s head of sub-office in Muzaffarabad, said: “We think our figures give a pretty good indication of the movement we will see, but it will depend on the weather and what people see is planned for them – the next few weeks will be critical.”
More than 75,000 people were killed and some 70,000 severely injured or disabled on 8 October 2005 when the South Asia earthquake devastated the mountain communities of northern Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. An estimated three million were left with inadequate shelter, most of them in need of food in the immediate aftermath.
The fragile infrastructure of this harsh, rugged mountain community was destroyed: hospitals, schools, government buildings, livelihoods – and roads crucial for access.
Today tens of thousands of families remain in temporary shelter as the second winter since the disaster approaches. For many, adequate shelter, food, clean water and access to medicines are major concerns.
AG/DS
Up to 60,000 people could swell the existing population in tented camps across the quake zone in the weeks ahead to almost 100,000, who will see out the winter under canvas or corrugated iron sheets in the valleys.
Many families whose homes were destroyed in last year’s disaster have been unable to rebuild and remain in inadequate shelter in their mountain villages.
Their situation is compounded by lost livelihoods, potential food insecurity and a threat of disease as weather conditions deteriorate. High altitude areas will see temperatures plummet below minus 20 Celcius in the weeks ahead and some communities could be cut off for weeks by heavy snow, aid workers warn.
In Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province (NWFP) alone up to 50,000 people could be forced from their mountain homes by harsh weather to seek shelter and food in government-run camps supported by the international aid community.
That’s the view of Mansehra-based district co-ordination officer (DCO), Shakeel Qadar Khan. “In the worst case scenario 50,000 people could come down from the mountains to seek help in the camps if the weather is very bad,” he warned.
In Pakistani-administered Kashmir, a further 10,000 people could move from high altitude villages to the camps in search of support in the weeks ahead, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in a recent survey.
However, Muzaffarabad-based Raja Abbas, Additional Commissioner for the government-backed Camp Management Organisation, believes the figure could be lower for Pakistani-administered Kashmir.
“Last year we had similar reports, but the winter was mild and the numbers were less than feared,” Abbas said. “We are hoping for the same this year, but are making contingency plans just in case and have identified four or five sites for additional camps, with a combined capacity for up to 1,000 families, if needed,” he claimed.
There are currently 40 camps in Muzaffarabad and four in Bagh district, already with a total population of 29,500-plus. Most are landless, still waiting for their cases to be heard for relocation or victims of August’s monsoon rains, Abbas added.
He said all camp families were being issued with further equipment, including additional corrugated galvanised iron sheeting, or winter tents, blankets and quilts.
“But many families come down and however bad the weather, we hope to be ready,” he said.
In NWFP there are currently three established camps, with a combined population of around 5,000 people. With the exception of Jaba camp, close to Balakot, there is capacity for expansion for an additional 800 families. Here too the DCO confirmed winterisation of existing camp families is in progress.
A decision to open a further camp at Kashtarh has been taken within the last fortnight to cope with any overspill and act as a “shock-absorber” if needed. It has an initial capacity for 500 families.
But DCO Qadar Khan said the policy was to try and keep families up in their mountain communities by maintaining access during heavy snowfalls or landslides.
“We will be attempting to keep the roads clear and have positioned additional earth-moving equipment in key areas,” Khan said, noting one of the biggest fears within mountain communities was the threat of being cut off.
IOM released a comprehensive survey in November of the most vulnerable quake-affected families living in the mountains, which suggests up to 30,000 will leave their communities in NWFP to seek aid in the camps this winter and a further 10,000 across Pakistani-administered Kashmir.
John Sampson, IOM’s head of sub-office in Muzaffarabad, said: “We think our figures give a pretty good indication of the movement we will see, but it will depend on the weather and what people see is planned for them – the next few weeks will be critical.”
More than 75,000 people were killed and some 70,000 severely injured or disabled on 8 October 2005 when the South Asia earthquake devastated the mountain communities of northern Pakistan and Pakistani-administered Kashmir. An estimated three million were left with inadequate shelter, most of them in need of food in the immediate aftermath.
The fragile infrastructure of this harsh, rugged mountain community was destroyed: hospitals, schools, government buildings, livelihoods – and roads crucial for access.
Today tens of thousands of families remain in temporary shelter as the second winter since the disaster approaches. For many, adequate shelter, food, clean water and access to medicines are major concerns.
AG/DS
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions
Share this article
