Thousands still without basic shelter two months after quake
Thousands of earthquake survivors are still without shelter more than two months on. The earthquake, which killed over 80,000 people, left an estimated 3.5 million survivors homeless. The exact figure of homeless survivors is not known, said Darren Boisvert, media and public information officer for the
“The problem is that we’re still finding people who don’t have sufficient shelter so we can’t accurately estimate how many people there are left,” Boisvert said. The Pakistani government estimates that 480,000 houses need to be rebuilt in Pakistani-administered
Aid has still not reached dozens of villages and Boisvert says that a lack of information is impeding the aid process.
“Some of the maps are misleading. Some aid organisations say they have covered areas but it’s only at certain elevations and the map doesn’t reflect this,” he said.
“So we only have 60 percent information of what is going on. We are struggling with information for shelter and we’re still finding people,” he added.
According to the latest UN situation report on shelter, aid agencies, local authorities and the Pakistan military – who say they are constructing 6,000 temporary shelters a day – will have provided non-tent shelter for at least 595,000 people by 10 December. These shelters will be mostly for survivors living above 1,500 m.
However, many aid workers in the field say there are many survivors who still urgently need shelter. “The majority of people here are without shelter. Even if they’re under some sort of cover it’s not enough,” said Abdul Jalil from Islamic Help UK who has been working in Bheri in the north of Muzaffarabad district.
Bheri was razed by the earthquake, killing 126 of its 1,500 inhabitants. IOM has been distributing blankets, sheets and tarpaulins in Bheri but many residents are still without shelter as temperatures drop.
“Our biggest problem is shelter. I have no tent and I sleep under the stars. It’s very cold,” said 20-year-old Zaheer Ahmad Usmani, who used to be a student in Muzaffarabad until the earthquake destroyed the university. Now he is trying to find shelter for his family in Bheri.
“People here need shelter. They’re not getting the shelter they need,” said Maggie Tookey from Edinburgh Direct, a UK-based charity working with UN Habitat.
“Some of them have managed to cobble together some sort of shelter using wood from their crushed houses but it’s just not adequate,” she said.
Edinburgh Direct has been using mules to carry aid up the steep mountain passes to isolated communities who are still without shelter. Due to a shortage of helicopters not enough material is reaching Bheri, Tookey said.
“Now with more and more agencies requiring air transportation, demand has increased and due to road blockages this puts pressure on tasking and scheduling,” said Tony Freeman, logistics officer for the UN World Food Programme (WFP), in Muzaffarabad.
With road closures due to collapsed bridges, landslides, rock falls and snows, aid agencies are increasingly relying on helicopter flights to distribute aid. Heavier and more widespread snowfall in coming weeks will exacerbate the situation when up to 3m of snow in some areas will close even more roads.
“Unless something is done about getting supplies in from Muzaffarabad, people are not going to get the shelter they need. It’s a race against time, it really is,” Tookey warned.
It is the same story in scores of remote villages that are isolated by blocked roads and hidden deep in mountains. “IOM teams in the field are still identifying people who have yet to receive shelter above 5,000 feet [1,500m],” said Boisvert.
All that is left of the villages in the Machiara Valley is crumbled ruins that trickle down the side of the mountains. Most of the huge mud roofs of the village houses collapsed under the force of the quake and the villagers are slowly trying to clear the wreckage with their bare hands.
Some villagers have started to rebuild their homes using salvaged wreckage, but others cannot begin until they have cleared the ruins. Until they do, they are sleeping in the open air in the freezing cold wearing only thin cotton clothes.
“How are we going to save our women and children from the cold?” asked Hafizullah Qureshi, who says it will take at least four months to rebuild his traditional mud house and repair his farming land. His family, including several tiny children, huddle in the barn that was used for their cattle. It is a small, dank space in which eight family members must sleep.
At 2,000 m above sea level, the weather in the Machiara Valley is bitterly cold and some snow has already settled by the graveyard, which is hidden in a small forest on the top of a buttress that overlooks the valley.
“Just look around and you’ll see that people all over haven’t been reached,” said Jean-Philippe Bourgeois, a field logistics coordinator with the IOM.
IOM was the first aid agency to reach Machiara Valley distributing shelter. They have distributed blankets, tarpaulin sheets and tools to some 300 households, but there are still 900 households to go.
“It’s a slow process. We had a helicopter down for a few days and we only have small helicopters,” said Claude-Andre Nadon, logistics coordinator with the IOM.
Nadon says it will take a week to distribute shelter material to the remaining households. Until then, families like Hafizullah’s will have to risk hypothermia and sleep in the cold.
Source: IRIN News
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December 13th, 2005 at 9:32 am
For five bucks, you can do good, eat better and sleep like an angel
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December 23rd, 2005 at 4:43 pm
Obviously the process of distributing shelter is slow. I belong to Bheri (Basri) Muzaffarabad district. Ward Basri is nearly 7000ft high from sea level. The distribution process of shelter is not well administered. Low income people and those area where sunlight does not fall whole day are still without shelters. IOM staff distributed blankets in a proper way among survivors.
Mr. Zafar-ul-Allah Bukhari vice chairman Islamic help UK. visit Bheri. Mr. Zafar Urged the coordinator to distribute shelters to all affectees round the area. To do so shelters are needed at large for this area. People need money also to rebuild their lives. Access to the area is now easy as road is opened to Bheri, temporarily.
December 28th, 2005 at 8:54 pm
the mountainous region of northern Pakistan has been rocked by an earthquake, this time in the Diamir district. Measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale, the earthquake hit in the early hours of Thursday 21 November, while people slept.
At least 23 people have been confirmed dead, including 18 children, and over 100 people have been injured. Most of the victims were women and children. It is feared that more people may be trapped under collapsed buildings.
As the military conducted search and rescue operations, Islamic Relief’s Pakistan Emergency Officer, Mr Shafeeq-ur-Rehman flew into the affected area by helicopter and gave a first-hand witness report of the situation.
“I could hear the noise of heavy rocks, crashing down into the Indus river,” said Rehman. “The river is normally green-blue, but it was running brown with the debris from the many landslides.”
Roads into the area have been cut-off by landslides, impeding access to the area. A huge dust cloud covers the area, causing problems for military helicopters trying to ferry out the wounded. “The dust is so dense, it is impossible to see even as far as a few feet ahead,” described Rehman.
The government established a camp for survivors of the first earthquake, at Gunnar Farms, a small town 30 km north of Chilas. Currently 1700 people are housed in the tents, and at least 70 more people are expected on Friday. According to initial estimates, up to 10,000 people have been affected by the earthquake.
The second earthquake has raised fears amongst the displaced people in the camps. “It frightened the children, and the elders as well – they are now considering remaining in the camp rather than going back,” explained Rehman.
Winter temperatures in the region can fall as low as -5°C (23°F). To help the homeless people survive the cold, Islamic Relief will be providing quilts, stoves and reinforcement sheets for the camp.
“We provided some camp management training to the Elders Committee and the Government officials in charge of the camp, to help them with distribution systems, hygiene sensitisation, problem identification procedures and the like.” said Rehman.
A series of earthquakes hit the Gilgit area previously, on the 2nd and 3rd of November, killing eleven people and injuring scores.
As one of the only international NGOs present in the area, Islamic Relief will be monitoring the situation and responding to the needs of the earthquake victims.
June 20th, 2006 at 4:27 pm
Islamic Help is a high profile U.K based international NGO duly registered with the charity commission U.K vide charity number 1100259.
It has an excellent record of accomplishment in serving humanity globally, particularly in Niger, Mali and Tsunami. It is pertinent to mention here that your counterpart in Indonesia, Sir Charles Humphrey has very generously acknowledged & appreciated efforts and services of Islamic Help U.K in Tsunami disaster. It is evident from the page 11 of enclosed report on projects of Islamic Help. Currently Islamic Help U.K has been working for the relief of earthquake victims in Pakistan and Azad Kashmir. A report containing projects accomplished so far by Islamic Help U.K in the disaster areas is also attached for your kind perusal.