Daily Update of Torrential Rain and Flood situation across the country – August 09, 2010 at 9:30 pm

• January 28, 2013
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• SPO

Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO)

Daily Assessment Updates on Torrential Rain and Flood Situation in Pakistan

August 9th, 2010

Overview:

Country-wide torrential rains caused unprecedented and outrageous floods throughout Pakistan. The current spate of torrential rains and flash floods started on 21st July 2010. Initially it played havoc in eastern parts of Baluchistan which includes: Barkhan, Kohlu, Sibi, Jafferabad and Naseerabad districts. The relief operations in the affected areas of Baluchistan were not over yet, when floods struck district Rajanpur, Layya and Gujranwala in Punjab. Subsequently, the tide turned towards Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) and engulfed various small and large towns in these areas. The most affected areas in KPK are: Shangla, Swat, Minghora, Mansehra, Charsadda, Noshehra towns, where routine life has come to a complete halt and affected communities in most parts of KPK are still waiting for rescue and relief.

Initial reports reveals that around 4 million people have been affected by worst floods in the country and death toll have risen to 1600 people. It is feared that the number of death will soar further once the communication links are re-established. The government authorities, armed forces and humanitarian organizations, particularly NGOs, have started a major rescue effort to reach out to affected communities to provide them humanitarian assistance during their distress movements.

In order to facilitate coordinated humanitarian response in the affected areas and enable humanitarian organizations to have substantial planning for their humanitarian activities, SPO, with the support of its partner organizations, initiated rapid assessments in the affected areas and share it with relevant stakeholders in the form of daily update. Date-wise situational update and rapid assessments of damages caused by torrential rains and floods are available on SPO website and can be accessed on URL http://www.spopk.org.

Daily update for 9th August 2010, providing details of SPO’s response to the emergency situation and relief activities being carried out for mitigation of the miseries of affected communities across the country, is provided below:

SPO intervention in Flood affected areas till August 07, 2010

Keeping in view the essential needs of affected communities, SPO teams besides coordination of humanitarian efforts at Provincial levels in Baluchistan -Quetta, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – Peshawar, AJK – Muzafarabad, Sindh-Hyderabad and Punjab in Multan and Lahore have initiated various humanitarian interventions. Hitherto, following activities have been carried out and reported:

Punjab:

SPO Multan responded and addressed the urgent need through partner organizations with the provision of 2200 food packs to the affected families in district Muzaffargharh. SPO also generated resources by local philanthropist (individuals, trade union and Civil Society Network Vehari) and provided cooked food, safe drinking and other needs, the details are follows;

•1600 food packs (dried nuts, biscuits, and juices) distributed to the affectees of Basti Mosa, Sultan colony, Sanawan road, Langar Saray and Kotaddu in Muzaffargarh district.

•600 packs distributed in Ghazi haji, Chotla and samina of Dera Ghazi Khan district.

•1600 bottles of mineral water to the above areas in Muzafaragarh supported

•4850 food packs including milk, biscuits and nuts

•1400 people were provided cooked food “Nan and Halwa” supported by Vehari Trade union and CSN Vehari

•1000 milk packs for children

•680 KGs dry food has been distributed in Muhammad Wala, Chowk Sarwar Shaheed and Daira Deen Panah road.

Rapid Assessments:

Balochistan Province:

The arrival of monsoon flavor in Balochistan has brought heavy rain causing flash flood in spontaneous parts of Balochistan between 21st and 22nd July. Barkan, Sibi and Kohlu Districts were the most affected areas. As on later spill of the rain and high floods, expanded the damages in district Naseerabad, Jafarabad and Jhal Magsi. Similarly, on 5th August, 12 hours rain badly effected Naseerabad and Jafarabad. Patfeeder, Rabi and Shahi canals damaged more then 30 places which resulted vast destruction.  The flood affected people from Jacobabad and Shikarpur districts migrating in safer places of Balochistan From 8th August. The district administrations of five district shared that they have no resources to assist the affected population and they have received some tents and food items from PDMA. They added that the affected people are in worst situation especially women and children. They shared that the affectees of Sindh is migrating in these districts which are increasing the burden.

Punjab Province:

District Muzaffar Ghar

SPO Multan conducted initial assessment through focus group discussion, key informant interviews and direct observation. As per initial assessment, around 950,000 persons migrated from district Muzaffargarh towards Multan from the flood affected villages/ areas as Kaleri Canal wrecked. District government Muzaffargarh announced to evacuate when it was wrecked. One social worker quoted that when he went to DCO office, he noticed that DCO is also weeping, and said it is not in our control. The KAPCO and Lalpeer power stations also faced flood water two days back. In this district the people are displaced largely.

“As per the information office of the district government, water has entered from the two sides into city Muzaffarghar, because two canals namely Kaleri and Daneshwa’s have broken on 04 august at 1:30 noon, Army has tried much to save the city but could not managed due to large scale flood. The water entered into city from Multan road side and from Bloach Nagar.” The detail of damages and deaths are as follows;

District Rajanpur

Link Roads of Tehsil Jampur are completely damaged, the detail are follows:

Similarly Tehsil Rojhanpur is worse affected and inhabitants migrated to different areas. Police (1122) and army facilitated residents in the evacuation. Two deaths are reported by the civil society representatives and confirmed the namely wahid S/O Ibrar (child) and Khadija residence of Rojhan has died due to flood water in village UmerKot. Approximately 9 hundred thousand cusec feet water is crossing along 80 kilometer area of Tehsil Rojhan. The city Rohjan is also in great threat because three feet remain to overspill the protection wall. Pak army and police have evacuated more than 45000 persons from these areas.

The civil society organizations and Local community are also assisting the affectees through provision of cooked food. Mr. Dost Mhammad Mizari, MNA-PPP and Mr. Nadeem Hashmat Social activist shared that in Tehsil Rohjan,   around fifty thousand persons are dislocated, 100 primary schools, 07 BHUs, 120 Km link roads and 50 small bridges are completely destroyed. It is estimated that more than 5000 houses are completely destroyed. The worst affected union councils of Tehsil Rojhan:

Province KPK:

District DI Khan

SPO DI Khan conducted initial assessment through focus group discussion, key informant interviews and direct observations. The detail assessment by SPO and its partner organizations are attached as annex B.

Following are the dire need of the affected people

•Food items

•Shelter including Bedding and clothes

•Hygiene kits

•Clean drinking water

Focal Persons for SPO Humanitarian Response:

SPO Regional teams are working with relevant stakeholders at regional level for relief and alleviating miseries of the affected communities and coordinating relief operation in the areas. For further details or any other relevant information, you may contact SPO staff at following locations: