Earthquake Situation Update 2 (10:00am, 25 September 2013 )
An earthquake of 7.8 magnitude on Richter Scale hit south eastern and coaster districts of Balochistan and Sindh at 4:29pm on 24th of September. District Awaran is the most hit area where 208 causalities have been reported so far, and district administration has declared the emergency. Injured persons have been shifting to Karachi as no orthopedic is available to provide medical aid for broken and fractured bones, according to the media reports. Almost 50 percent houses only in Awaran City have been collapsed and rests have been partly damaged. Public and private infrastructure has been badly damaged and communication system in the district is not working properly due to damaged cellular phone networks. Awaran district has an estimated population of 300 thousands and 21 thousand square kilometer area that has been almost fully affected because of last night’s powerful earthquake. The far flung rural areas have been extremely damaged but due to lack of road network, these areas are not accessible and rescue workers facing great difficulty. SPO Turbat and Quetta offices are closely monitoring the situation and soon going to start emergency response in the area. The immediate needs are medicines, shelter and food and non food items, local sources said. SPO partner organizations are collecting information of affected areas and would be shared soon with other stakeholders.
Earthquake Situation Update 5 (18:30, 26 September 2013 )
On 26th September 2013 at 14:00 noon SPO set up field camp in Awaran city and assessment mission started sending data directly from the affected locations. According to first live feed, the UC headquarter of Tertaj (a town of 1100 houses) has been completely flattened. An estimated population of 20,000 is shelter less and forced to live in scorching heat (38-40 degree centigrade was recorded today) under open sky. The total death toll in this town has been recorded 19 while 79 have been seriously injured. The only standing building in the town is “Tertaj High School” with clearly visible cracks in the walls and ceilings. The UC of Dandar in Kech district is among the worst hit areas. This UC is situated in the north-east of Turbat city on a distance of 176 KM. The total population of 12 villages is 21360 and 100% population has been directly affected. The number of collapsed houses is 2759 out of 3010 means 90% mud houses have been collapsed to ground level. Total 53 deaths have been recorded in the UC including 7pregnant women. The number of injured person is also on a higher side with 2598. An estimated well over 300,000 population directly affected by earthquake 2013 in district Awaran and Kech. Overall death toll is touching the mark of 357 highest numbers of fatalities since Van Earthquake of Turkey in October 2011. The death toll is 311 and 46 in Awaran and Kech districts respectively. The number of injured persons is also rising and so far 620 recorded in both districts.
Earthquake Situation Update 6 (18:30, 27 September 2013 )
SPO is the first organization that is reaching far flung areas of affected district Awaran and collecting damage information. In second live feed right from extremely devastated UC of Gajjar (situated in the north-east of Awaran town at a distant of 85Km) assessment mission shared that whole town has been completely flattened. Estimated 2400-2500 houses have been demolished and 100% (17000-18000) population is affected. Around 375 deaths and around 1000 injured persons have been reported. There is no medical assistance available there and around 50% injured persons have been shifted to Karachi rests are living under open sky and agonizingly waiting for medical aid and emergency assistance. Gajjar town is filled with pungent smell because high number of livestock perished and their decaying bodies are posing a serious health challenge and potential threat for possible outbreak of diseases.
Earthquake Situation Update 1 (08:15pm, 24 September 2013)
An earthquake of 7.8 magnitude hit south eastern and coastal districts of Balochistan around 04:30pm on 24th of September 2013. The epic center was south west of Khuzdar district and it was 23 deep kilometers in the ground. District Awaran is the most affected district where almost 50% of the mud houses in the city have been collapsed and a town of DHALBEIDI has been completed flattened to the ground level. So far 100 injured person are under treatment at DHQ hospital of Awaran and 18 have been reported dead, according the hospital sources. Overall death toll is expected to rise as scores have been buried alive under the debris of collapsed houses and other buildings. FC troops have been reached Awaran city for search and evacuation of the injured buried under the collapsed houses and other buildings. 4 Medical doctors are struggling to provide medical aid because of high numbers of injured persons being brought to the hospital, local sources said. (Mr Yar Jan 0333-7993042)
Monsoon Update 9 (13:30, 26 August 2013)
Recent monsoons caused heavy losses and damages to infrastructure, livelihoods and human life in Pakistan. Death toll has touched 169 mark while 855 persons have been reported injured in various incidents. The affected population is touching alarmingly high numbers around 1.419 million across Pakistan and it is expected to be on the further higher side once the information is properly accumulated. Total 46619 houses have been fully/partially damaged due to heavy rains and flooding in urban and rural areas. River Indus is flowing at medium-high level floods at Sukkur and River Ravi is flowing on the same flooding level at Sidhnai head works and River Chenab is carrying high flood water at Panjnad. Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) issued significant flood warning in River Indus at Sukkur and Guddu during 21-22 August 2013 about possibility of 600-650 thousand cusecs discharge of water in the river. All other rivers are flowing at normal to low flood levels in KPK, Punjab and Sindh. Pakistan Metrological Department (PMD) forecasted mainly hot & humid weather in most parts of the country. However, rain-thundershower is expected at isolated places of Kashmir and adjoining hilly areas.
Monsoon Update 8 (12:00, 15 August 2013)
PMD has issued significant flash flood warning in hill torrents and Nullahs of DG Khan and Eastern Balochistan for next 2-3 days. The warning includes that exceptionally high flood is expected in rivers Indus, Jhelum and Chenab for next 24-48 hours. All SPO Emergency Focal Persons are requested to be vigilant about the emerging situation in their respective regions and immediately report to NC. The weather forecast of heavy rains on central and southern parts of country has also been issued by PMD. Seasonal low lies over Balochistan and adjoining areas and strong Monsoon currents are continuously penetrating into Southern and Northeastern parts of the country. According to the media reports, around 500,000 cusecs water discharged is expected at Head Khanki in River Chenab. In Wazirabad Tehsil of Gujranwala district, river water entered the villages situated on left bank of the river and authorities are evacuating the low lying villages since last night. The death toll in rain related incidents is constantly increasing and has touched the mark of 93 across the country. The number of directly affected population is also increasing and reaches to 84272 and figures from Balochistan, FATA and Kashmir yet to be incorporated in the damage assessment report released by NDMA on 14th of August 2013.
Monsoon Update: 7 (16:30, 12 August 2013)
Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued severe weather even warning for the Flash Floods in vulnerable districts of Malakand, Hazara, Mardan, Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala, Lahore, D.G Khan, D.I Khan, Zhob, Sibbi, Naseerabad Divisions and Kashmir for next 48-72 hours. All SPO regional offices, local partners and civil society networks remain vigilant for emerging disastrous situations in aforementioned districts. For next 24 hours, PMD has forecasted rain thundershowers in scattered places of Punjab, Upper KP while at isolated places of north Balochistan and Gilgit Baltistan. Maximum rainfall 60mm was recorded at Noorpur Thul (Khushab district) during last 24 hours. According to the media reports heavy rains at the Koh-e-Suleman mountainous range last night, flooding occurred in the rivers and nullas of Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa and Rajanpur, however, the details of damage are awaited so far. India released around 90 cusecs waters in River Sutlej from Ganda Singh head works that created emergency situation in Kasoor district especially for 40-45 villages of low lying area situated around the abandoned river. District authorities are evacuating the villages as water level is rising and has already touching the alarming level. The death toll has touched the 83 mark because of monsoon spell started from 2nd of August. The total affected population is estimated 84272 across the country according the damage assessment report issued by NDMA which is inconclusive as data from Balochistan and Sindh is being gathered and yet to incorporate. SPO distributed food packs among affected population of Fatehpur union council of tehsil Rajanpur on 8th of August 2013. 200 families benefited from the distribution and thousands are still awaiting the relief assistance as Rajanpur has been declared calamity hit district in Punjab.
Monsoon Update 6: (22:00, 7 August 2013)
Rain thunderstorms are expected at scattered places of upper Punjab and upper KP. Heavy rain falls are also expected at few places of Kashmir, Hazara, Lahore, Gujranwala and Sargodha division which may cause heavy runoff water discharge in rain nullahs. River Indus is flowing in Medium Flood in Chashma-Taunsa reach and Low Flood at Tarbela, Kalabagh & Guddu Barrage, whereas River Kabul is at Medium Flood Stage in Warsak-Nowshera reach. River Chenab is also flowing in Low Flood in Khanki-Qadirabad reach with rising trend. Other main rivers i.e. Jhelum, Ravi & Sutlej are flowing normal. Last week’s heavy rain falls caused damages to life, private and public infrastructure, livelihoods and communication means. The total death toll has rose up to 58 across all the provinces and Gilgit Baltistan. PDMAs have started relief operations and so far distributed 14800 tents in four provinces; only 5000 tents have been distributed among flood affected population of Rajanpur district in Punjab. Today, SPO distributed (Quetta Office) staple food packs of worth 350,000/- PKRs among 100 flood affected families of Naseerabad living on the roadside of Notal area. Tomorrow SPO Multan is going to distribute 200 staple food packs among 200 flood affected families of UC Fatehpur of tehsil and district Rajanpur.
Important Links
National Disaster Management Authority Humanitarian Accountability Partnership Federal Flood Commission, Pakistan Pakistan Humanitarian Response United Nation Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Inter-Agency Standing Committee The Overseas Development Institute