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Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management Crisis and Emergency Management Newsletter Website |
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December
2007
Volume 13
- Number 3 |
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Update on recovery efforts from 2005 Pakistan Earthquake By Noah Goodman An earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale
struck the northern areas of Pakistan and India on 8 October 2005.
The region hit by this large earthquake is located in an area known as the
North West Frontier Province (NWFP). This region is a geographically
isolated area where access is hindered by the rugged terrain and weather.
The initial relief effort estimates indicate that 3.2 million to 3.5 million
people have been affected by the disaster and are in need of assistance,
including winterized shelter, medical care, food and water and sanitation
facilities.
The Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) has been the primary recovery group with assistance from Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) and Red Crescent Societies. The main efforts have focused on reconstruction, livelihoods, health care, improving water and sanitation, and increasing communities' resilience to disasters. The International Federation earthquake operation is being extended another year through 2009. According to a press release from the IFRC dated Oct 2007, current recovery efforts have included: - Nearly 90,000 people have improved access to water through repaired or/rebuilt water supply schemes and the PRCS/International Federation will increase that total to 160,000 by mid-2009. - Mobile health teams continue to reach up to 2,000 people a week in far-flung villages and will continue that support until the health infrastructure is re-established. Over 9,000 families have received livelihoods support and thousands more will be assisted over the next two years under the operation. - 150,000 houses have been rebuilt with a further 200,000 under construction, all of the planned 600,000 new homes will be finished by the middle of next year. - Of the estimated 73,000 people killed in the earthquake, roughly 17,000 of which were students sitting in classrooms the day of the earthquake. Major reconstruction efforts are underway to rebuild schools with seismic-resistant building models. - Rehabilitation work on about 300 kilometers of rural roads which began in the first quarter of 2007 is nearing completion. The reconstruction and recovery efforts have been deemed a success by international community, governments as well as the non-governmental organizations responding to this disaster. The lead for the United Nations HABITAT in Pakistan, which is providing reconstruction training to quake victims, says the government's policy of giving direct financial assistance to those in need has worked. This approach of directing financial resources to the locals has been a key success factor in rebuilding homes and facilities. By providing resources to the local communities directly, they have been very successful in rebuilding based on construction methods to help withstand future earthquakes. Many of the communities are being rebuilt to new and improved standards of living, turning a disaster environment into a better way of life for many, further emphasizing the successfulness of the recovery efforts. Sources: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs – Integrated Regional Information Networks (October 2007). http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/LRON-77SJ2W?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=EQ-2005-000174-PAK ERRA, Government of Pakistan (November 2007) United Nations Human Settlements Program (HABITAT, October 2007). http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/YSAR-77TRRF?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=EQ-2005-000174-PAK International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC, October 2007). http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/EKOI-77Z2U8?OpenDocument&rc=3&emid=EQ-2005-000174-PAK |