![[Pakistan] Many survivors are still living in non-winterised tents, two months after the quake [Date picture taken: 12/14/2005]](https://assets.thenewhumanitarian.org/s3fs-public/styles/responsive_large_2x/public/images/200512146.jpg.webp?itok=JQLLFiSz "Some earthquake survivors are frustrated at the conditions they believe they must endure until spring")
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is preparing to deploy its rapid response teams to conduct a winter needs assessment survey in the worst quake-affected areas of Pakistani-administered Kashmir and North West Frontier Province (NWFP), before the onset of the Himalayan winter.
“The survey will evaluate the adequacy of existing shelters, availability of food and non-food items and accessibility to remote areas in 100 of the most quake-affected Union Councils [smallest administrative unit],” Hassan Abdel Moneim Mostafa, IOM’s regional representative for West and Central Asia said in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Tuesday.
IOM’s 10 teams will deply this weekend and cover the districts of Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Neelum Valley in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, as well as Mansehra, Batagram, Shangla, Abbottabad and Kohistan in NWFP.
Almost one year after the massive 7.6-magnitude earthquake left more than 75,000 people dead and rendered over 3.5 million homeless, an estimated 100,000 survivors are still without adequate housing.
These include some 33,000 people living in tented camps and around 70,000 in urban areas, many of whom are in ‘red zone’ areas - declared unsafe for reconstruction.
“The results of the survey would help the respective governments of NWFP and PAK [Pakistani-administered Kashmir] to better understand the shelter situation and to adapt their contingency plans ahead of what could be a very harsh winter,” Mustafa said.
Last winter was a mild one, according to meteorologists, with less snowfall and fewer rainy days across northern Pakistan, including the earthquake-affected areas.
However, this year’s forecast is for a moderate winter season in the north.
“Our preliminary estimates suggest that there will be more rainy and snowfall days this time, during mid-December to the end of January 2007,” said, Amir Warsi, a senior meteorologist at Pakistan Meteorological Department in Islamabad.
Once the winter needs assessment survey is done, six of the teams will be based in the Siran, Kaghan and Allai valleys in NWFP, and in the Neelum and Jhelum valleys and in Muzaffarabad in PAK.
“The teams will provide emergency services including medical care, winter survivability, communications, fire fighting, logistics and assessments,” Mustafa said.
The rest of the teams would conduct capacity building training for district and local government officials.
During the South Asian earthaquake relief phase from October 2005 to March 2006, IOM implemented about US $23 million worth of emergency relief programmes. They included the provision of emergency shelters and winterisation kits, provision of transport and medical screening. IOM also helped some 76,000 displaced people to return to their homes from emergency relief camps.
TS/JL/SC
“The survey will evaluate the adequacy of existing shelters, availability of food and non-food items and accessibility to remote areas in 100 of the most quake-affected Union Councils [smallest administrative unit],” Hassan Abdel Moneim Mostafa, IOM’s regional representative for West and Central Asia said in the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on Tuesday.
IOM’s 10 teams will deply this weekend and cover the districts of Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Neelum Valley in Pakistani-administered Kashmir, as well as Mansehra, Batagram, Shangla, Abbottabad and Kohistan in NWFP.
Almost one year after the massive 7.6-magnitude earthquake left more than 75,000 people dead and rendered over 3.5 million homeless, an estimated 100,000 survivors are still without adequate housing.
These include some 33,000 people living in tented camps and around 70,000 in urban areas, many of whom are in ‘red zone’ areas - declared unsafe for reconstruction.
“The results of the survey would help the respective governments of NWFP and PAK [Pakistani-administered Kashmir] to better understand the shelter situation and to adapt their contingency plans ahead of what could be a very harsh winter,” Mustafa said.
Last winter was a mild one, according to meteorologists, with less snowfall and fewer rainy days across northern Pakistan, including the earthquake-affected areas.
However, this year’s forecast is for a moderate winter season in the north.
“Our preliminary estimates suggest that there will be more rainy and snowfall days this time, during mid-December to the end of January 2007,” said, Amir Warsi, a senior meteorologist at Pakistan Meteorological Department in Islamabad.
Once the winter needs assessment survey is done, six of the teams will be based in the Siran, Kaghan and Allai valleys in NWFP, and in the Neelum and Jhelum valleys and in Muzaffarabad in PAK.
“The teams will provide emergency services including medical care, winter survivability, communications, fire fighting, logistics and assessments,” Mustafa said.
The rest of the teams would conduct capacity building training for district and local government officials.
During the South Asian earthaquake relief phase from October 2005 to March 2006, IOM implemented about US $23 million worth of emergency relief programmes. They included the provision of emergency shelters and winterisation kits, provision of transport and medical screening. IOM also helped some 76,000 displaced people to return to their homes from emergency relief camps.
TS/JL/SC
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
