PAKISTAN - EARTHQUAKE: USAID/DART SITUATION

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 ISLAMABAD 015555

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID
USAID/W FOR A/AID ANDREW NATSIOS, JBRAUSE
DCHA/OFDA KISAACS, GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, RTHAYER, BDEEMER
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA
SOUTH ASIA RESPONSE MANAGEMENT TEAM
SOUTH ASIA EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE
DCHA/FFP FOR LAUREN LANDIS
ANE DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR MARK WARD
BANGKOK FOR OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR TOM DOLAN
KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER
ROME PASS FODAG
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH
NSC FOR JMELINE
EUCOM FOR POLA/J3/J4/J5
BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER
NEW YORK FOR TMALY
SECDEF FOR SOLIC/PKHA, USDP/J3
JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC FOR J3/J4/J5
HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE FOR J3/J5

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AEMR ASEC EAID ECON KMDR KPAO MASS OIIP OPRC PGOV PK PREL
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN - EARTHQUAKE: USAID/DART SITUATION
REPORT #2


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SUMMARY
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1. From October 13 to 15, the USAID/Disaster Assistance
Response Team (DART) conducted an assessment in Muzaffarabad.
The USAID/DART,s assessments confirmed that winterized
tents are the priority in earthquake affected areas. The
health cluster estimates that 67,000 persons are in need of
immediate medical attention, and 13,000 people have been
evacuated as of October 15. Participants at the October 15,
U.N. Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) meeting
reported that there is a need for additional field hospitals
in more remote areas of Pakistani Kashmir, as well as women
health care providers. Operational hospitals lack adequate
water supply, and some water treatment units are needed for
these facilities and communities. End summary.

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USAID/DART Assessment Trip to Muzaffarabad
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2. From October 13 to 15, three members of the USAID/DART
and a U.S. Embassy representative traveled to Muzaffarabad to
conduct assessments. The USAID/DART met with the UNDAC team
leader, and stated that as of October 13, the local
government had called off all search and rescue operations in
Muzaffarabad, and all search and rescue teams were being sent
home. The UNDAC leader noted that cooperation between the
U.N. and the military has been excellent in Muzaffarabad.
UNDAC is in the process of starting coordination meetings,
and is currently trying to determine which non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) are operating in Muzaffarabad. The
UNDAC leader noted that there is a lack of coordination with
local NGOs.


3. According to the USAID/DART, the German government has
two helicopters in Muzaffarabad and on October 14, one
helicopter traveled north to Neelum, and the other helicopter
traveled south to Jhelum. On October 14, the German
helicopters evacuated 171 Level One trauma victims.


4. The USAID/DART reported that in Muzaffarabad, the
International Organization for Migration (IOM) will take the
lead in shelter, the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) in
health, and the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) in food.


5. On October 14, the USAID/DART was told by an Indian
Kashimiri who left Indian Kashmir after the earthquake that a
600-person camp was set up on the road to the airport in
Muzaffarabad. The USAID/DART was told that of the 600 camp
residents, 50 to 60 people are in tents and the rest are
sleeping on the ground. Throughout the team,s assessment
trip in Muzaffarabad, members were repeatedly told by local
residents and government officials that tents were the number
one priority. On October 16, three USAID airlifts of relief
commodities carrying a total of 1,570 tents are scheduled to
arrive in Pakistan. (Note: The USAID/DART is working on a
comprehensive shelter strategy. End Note.)


6. The team reported that the airport at Muzaffarabad
receives four to five C-130 airdrops of food, medical
supplies, blankets, and water per day. However, no tents are
being delivered. The airdropped items are then airlifted to
affected villages by helicopters or provided to villages on
the road to the airport.


7. The Federal Minister for Communications for Pakistani
Kashmir visited the USAID/DART and stated that local
officials are having problems accessing affected villages.
The USAID/DART reported that the Minister,s priorities are
tents (assuming 5 persons per family),blankets, and
bulldozers or earth moving equipment to dispose of the debris
from collapsed houses.


8. The USAID/DART Health Officer (HO) reported that a
100-bed hospital run by the International Committee of the
Red Cross (ICRC) and located in the new stadium will be
operational on October 18. The hospital will have a heavy
surgical capacity, as well as primary care, OB/GYN, and
pediatric services. The hospital will have 2 surgeons, 2
anesthesiologists, and 40 professional personnel, including
doctors and nurses.


9. The USAID/DART HO visited the Pakistani Air Force
Hospital at the airport in Muzaffarabad. The hospital opened
on October 11 and staff saw 174 patients on that day. Since
October 11, hospital staff members have seen between 300 and
350 patients per day. Most of the patients do not stay in
the hospital and return to their homes or camps. There are
very few inpatients. The hospital has x-ray capability,
OB/GYN and labor and delivery services, surgeons,
anesthesiologists, and medical doctors. The USAID/DART HO
spoke with a doctor at the hospital who told him that tents
are the priority.


10. Medecins sans Frontieres-Belgium (MSF-Belgium) conducted
an assessment by road during the week of October 10 and
observed that tents are a priority. Jackets and winter coats
are also needed since residents will use them to protect
themselves from the cold weather and also as minimal shelter.


11. The USAID/DART HO helicoptered up to the Jhelum Valley
to deliver emergencyrelief supplies. The road along Jhelum
is blocked in multiple places, and only one bridge across the
Jhelum River is intact. The USAID/DART HO visited a village
where 20 houses were all heavily damaged or completely
flattened. The unloading of relief supplies at this village
was orderly; however, residents rushed the helicopter with
injured people, and the situation became violent as residents
fought each other to ensure that their injured relatives
could be evacuated.

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USAID/DART Trip to Mansehra
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12. On October 14, the USAID/DART Structural Specialist
traveled to Mansehra on an assessment trip with the U.S.
military and U.S. Embassy representatives. The team scouted
forward operation bases and conducted infrastructure
assessments. The USAID/DART Structural Specialist reported
that Mansehra sustained minimal damage from the earthquake
and primarily mud houses on the hills were damaged. Roads in
Mansehra are in good condition and are not blocked by debris.
The USAID/DART Structural Specialist noted that the bridges
in Mansehra were all passable.

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Security
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13. The U.N. reported on October 15 that the roads from
Balakot to Hajipur are now open. A field hospital that was
being transported from Muzaffarabad to Chakoti became stuck
at Gahri Dupatta due to landslides blocking the road in both
directions. As of October 14, the Pakistani military is
deployed on all major roads, and there were no further
reports of looting.

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Shelter
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14. Participants at the UNDAC team meetings determined that
providing shelter for residents affected by the earthquake
before winter arrives is the top priority. The Government of
Pakistan (GOP) requested that U.N. High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) take the lead in the camp management
cluster. As of October 14, UNHCR distributed 2,400
winterized tents, and in the next week several flights will
arrive with plastic sheeting and other emergency relief
supplies. On October 13, Pakistan,s Federal Relief
Coordinator requested that the U.N. Resident Coordinator (UN
RC) establish camps for residents displaced by the
earthquake. The GOP will be responsible for assisting UNHCR
identify locations for the camps, logistics, and security.
UNHCR will provide all other camp functions, except food
which will be provided by the U.N. food cluster. On October
16, UNHCR, accompanied by NGO representatives and 150 tents,
will fly to Muzaffarabad for a site survey. UNHCR is also
assessing Balakot and Batagram. UNHCR plans small cluster
arrangements versus large tent cities.


15. The U.N. remains concerned that the internally displaced
person (IDP) camps do not become a quote pull end quote
factor attracting large numbers of victims who may be better
housed in smaller, spontaneous settlements or elsewhere. The
U.N. will make a decision soon on sites for other camps as
well as sites for five warehouses for general use. Relief
organizations will be able to temporarily store relief
supplies in these warehouses before shipping them to
beneficiaries. As of October 14, 15,000 tents are available
in-country, and 67,000 tents are in the pipeline. Joint
shelter assessments will take place starting on October 17.
The current gaps in the shelter cluster are mainly
procurement shortages; however, solutions, such as supporting
local providers to increase the production of tents, are
being suggested.


16. The Red Cross has 22,000 tents in their pipeline and is
setting up production lines. Donors are urged to bring in
more tents. UNHCR stated that it is urgent to provide
assistance to remote areas in order to avoid mass
displacement of people. Helicopter assets are expected to at
least double in the next week.

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Food
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17. At the October 14 food cluster meeting, participants
stated that the distribution of high energy biscuits (HEB) to
earthquake affected persons is continuing in the areas of
Mansehra and Muzaffarabad. As of October 14, 30 tons of HEBs
have been distributed in Muzaffarabad and 20 tons in
Mansehra. NGOs reported that food and relief supplies are
being distributed by individuals and communities, and the
local procurement of food commodities is progressing. NGOs
are concerned that relief supplies are focused in areas such
as Muzaffarabad, and many remote villages are not being
reached. At present, there is insufficient information
available on the nutritional situation of earthquake victims.


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Water and Sanitation
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18. According to the U.N., there is an urgent need for
latrines, and sanitary conditions are reportedly poor in all
IDP sites. Operational hospitals lack adequate water supply,
and some water treatment units need to be provided to these
facilities as well as communities.

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Health
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19. The health cluster estimates that 67,000 persons are in
need of immediate medical attention, and 13,000 persons have
been evacuated as of October 15. The hospitals in Islamabad
are filled to capacity. Punjab Province has cleared 3,000 to
5,000 beds for patients to be transferred from Islamabad.
WHO reported 8 cases of bloody diarrhea on October 14 and 80
cases on October 15. Participants at the October 15 UNDAC
meeting reported that there is a need for additional field
hospitals in more remote areas of Pakistani Kashmir as well
women health care providers.

CROCKER