Large areas of Pakistan were battered by rain, snowfall, and floods during February and March 2005. The PRCS was engaged in a massive relief operation in snow and rain-affected areas of the country. The water levels in the country’s major river, Indus, and in its tributaries, River Swat and Kabul, swelled past their normal limits. As a result, low-lying areas of the North West Frontier Province (NWFP), including the districts of Charsadda, Nowshera, Peshawar and Swat, as well as areas of Punjab Province, including Rajanpur, Sialkot, Narowal, Muzzafargarh and Laiah districts, were severely inundated, causing widespread damage to property and crops, while also displacing many of its inhabitants. The worst-affected areas were NWFP, the Northern Areas and Balochistan. Water supplies, sanitation systems, electricity, communication and road links were severely affected. The total number of deaths reported was 844, while 397 were injured.

In Balochistan, nearly half a million people were affected by the rain and floods, and over 4,000 families were left homeless. In NWFP, more than 24,000 houses were destroyed and over 65,000 badly damaged. A number of dams collapsed due to excessive flooding. People across the affected regions also suffered heavy losses to crops and livestock.

Two minor emergency appeals were launched in early 2005, for the snowfalls (Appeal no. 05ME006) as well as for the floods (Appeal no. 05ME023), which occurred in the northern areas of Pakistan. A total of CHF 100,000 (CHF 50,000 to each minor emergency) was allocated from the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to replenish disaster preparedness stocks distributed to the affected population.

• Pakistan: Floods/Snowfalls (Appeal No. 05ME006) launched on 14 February 2005 for 7 months to assist 4,000 beneficiary families.
• Pakistan: Floods (Appeal No. 05ME023) launched on 14 April 2005 for 5 months to assist 6,000 beneficiary families.
• Disaster Relief Emergency Funds (DREF) allocated: CHF 100,000.

In conjunction with the early response, DREF funds were used to conduct assessments in the affected areas as well as to transport relief items to the most vulnerable districts.

The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) provided relief goods worth over PKR 30 million (CHF 653,213) from its own resources, while external donors, including Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and the Federation, also contributed generously. The detail of external assistance provided is as follows.

PRCS conducted an assessment mission in the most-affected districts and It was planned to provide relief assistance in selected areas of NWFP and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

PRCS dispatched and distributed a total of 218 tonnes of its emergency stock in NWFP, Balochistan and Northern Areas to a value of CHF 830,547. The relief items included tents, blankets, flour, rice, pulse beans, sugar, biscuits, tea, rusks (a type of bread), salt, clothing, kitchen utensils, ground sheets, drinking water, jerry cans, gas cylinders, and medicines.

The following table details the relief item distributions made by PRCS:

Throughout the operation, the Federation and PRCS maintained close coordination with the government and other agencies. Regular meetings were held with local and international NGOs to share information on action being taken and to make coordinated efforts where possible. UNDP and CIDA were the main partners of PRCS in this relief operation. Other than these, sister national societies provided assistance through cash as well as goods.

UNDP has provided support to PRCS for its floods and snowfall relief operation. The support provided was in terms of emergency shelter (such as tents, blankets, tarpaulin sheets, and limited quantities of food packages). Later, a second relief package for the affected districts of Upper Dir, Nowshera (NWFP), Qilla Abdullah and Pishin (Balochistan) was also extended to the PRCS, providing food parcels in these affected districts. UNDP also disbursed projects worth CHF 124,240 (in the form of three different projects worth CHF 26,159, CHF 58,853, CHF 39,228 respectively). A total of 2,860 food parcels were distributed using these funds, helping a total of 17,160 beneficiaries. The total number of beneficiaries for shelter goods was 3,610 (receiving 1,510 blankets and 350 tents) in the areas of Gwader, Pishin, Sibi, Turbat, Naseerabad, and Qilla Saifullah.

CIDA provided PRCS with financial assistance of CHF 114,000 for the purchase and distribution of food parcels for the floods/snowfall-affected population of District Swat. All together, 3,200 food parcels were distributed in the areas of Kalam, Madyan, Bishigram, Utroor, Balakot, Tirat, Gatt, Behrain and Mankyal. The total number of beneficiaries for this distribution is 19,200.

The German Red Cross gave a donation of CHF 171,836 for 1,000 shelter kits. Also, 600 shelter kits out 1,000 were distributed in NWFP, while the remaining 400 were distributed in Pakistan-administered Kashmir; benefiting a total of 6,000 beneficiaries. The money provided by the Chinese Red Cross was used to purchase 800 food parcels for 4,800 beneficiaries.

Medicine and water purification tablets were bought from CHF 187,021 donated by UAE Red Crescent. This material was distributed among people in the floods/snowfall affected areas as a precautionary measure, as people got more exposed to all kind of diseases.

Contributions from Turkish Red Crescent and Japanese Marubeni Corporation were mainly used in the packing, distribution and other administrative activities in the whole operation. General activities included; packing material, printing and supply of stickers, advertisements for tenders in national newspapers (Urdu as well as English newspapers), production of banners, transport and logistics, monitoring and evaluation, etc.

The total number of beneficiaries for these operations is broken down into the following detail.

OCTOBER EARTHQUAKE

The PRCS took responsibility to work independently in the area of Hattian Bala (AJK) with more focus on Chakothi Sector for witch base camp has been established at Gari Dupatta and a team of PRCS Staff & Volunteers is stationed at Chakothi and is engaged in providing relief assistance to the surrounding areas.

The overall summary of main items distributed to NWFP & AJK affected areas is as under:-

YEAR 2004

On 1st March 2004, 45 people died due to an act of Urban Terrorism involving firing and bomb blasts. On the instruction of the Chairman, PRCS it was decided that PRCS Balochistan Branch shall be given Rs.200, 000/- for the purchase of medicines for the affectees of violence. In addition to financial aid, extended by the PRCS NHQ the PRCS Balochistan Branch also handed over medicines to government hospital at Quetta for firing affectees.(Read the Full Story).

On 26th May 2004, two bombs blasts occurred in front of the Pakistan American Cultural center (PACC) Karachi. Immediately, the PRCS Sindh Provincial Branch rushed to the scene and provided relief to the bomb blast victims on site. During the emergency relief activity, the Field Officer was also injured, because of fires caused by the blasts. The PRCS Sindh Branch in coordination with the Jinnah Hospital provided Blood and other facilities available.

On 8th June, 2004, a bus carrying 65 passengers coming from Nathia Gali (hill station in Pakistan) fell into a ditch. 40 passengers died on the spot and 7 were severely injured. The PRCS Mansehra District Branch extended relief supplies to the affectees. (Read the Full Story).