PRESS CONFERENCE BY EMERGENCY RELIEF COORDINATOR

 

On south asia earthquake

 

Three million people were spending their thirtieth night in the open as the one-month anniversary of the devastating South Asia earthquake passed and relief workers continued a “marathon sprint” to save lives as winter closed in on the mountainous region, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland said at a Headquarters press conference today.

In the last 10 days, relief agencies and Pakistan Government officials had made “extraordinary progress” as they encountered “extraordinary challenges”, Mr. Egeland said as he provided an update on the humanitarian assistance delivered to the millions of people affected by the 7.6-magnitude earthquake, whose epicentre struck 95 kilometres north-east of Islamabad on 8 October and devastated parts of northern Pakistan, India and Afghanistan.

The clearing of roads blocked by landslides had let vehicles deliver supplies and food that had previously been ferried only by helicopter, mule or on foot, he said.  Tens of thousands more people were receiving food, supplies and services like sanitation every week.  About 334,000 tents had been delivered while 322,000 more were in the pipeline for delivery.  Relief workers had distributed about 3.2 million blankets and 4.8 million were in the pipeline.  Much of the progress had been achieved in the lower regions of the mountainous region and at least 200,000 people –- many of whom would not leave their ancestral homes –- remained above the snowline with limited access to aid.

Relief officials were racing against the onset of the harsh winter anticipated by meteorological organizations, he said.  Weather experts expected about a foot of snow around the earthquake’s epicentre in November, 5 feet in December, and 8 feet in January.  “This is the race against the clock that we’ve been talking about for some time”, Mr. Egeland said, adding that the whole region would be covered with snow in two to four weeks.  The official death toll had reached 73,000 and would likely increase to 80,000.

He reported some progress on funding, with United Nations relief agencies having received about $84 million of the $133 million that had been pledged.  That was against a larger backdrop of $1 billion in aid commitments, much of which had been earmarked for reconstruction.

In response to reporters’ questions concerning people living above the snowline, the Under-Secretary-General said relief officials estimated there were about 200,000 people living at higher levels, and while most had received some aid, it was inadequate.  It was estimated that 10 to 20 per cent of those living at those higher levels had not received help.  Relief officials wanted to reach each village and provide sufficient food and shelter for those who would not leave the area so they could survive until reconstruction could begin in the spring.  It was also necessary for aid to reach the $150,000 people who had fled the high regions into the valleys.

Asked about politics and terrorists interfering with relief operations, he said he had no indication that any substantial relief had fallen into the hands of terrorists or illegal organizations.  The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was working with the Government of Pakistan to open border crossings in the sensitive area around Kashmir, and it was very positive that relief supplies were now crossing the Rawalakot-Poonch Crossing.  That crossing was on the Line of Control forming the tense boundary between the Pakistani- and Indian-controlled sections of the disputed Kashmir province.  But many issues still had to be discussed, including the crossing of people.  “I have said since day one that political boundaries should cease to exist to make humanitarian relief happen”, he added.

Responding to queries about why the international response to the disaster had been so much lesser than the global response to the Indian Ocean tsunami of December 2004, Mr. Egeland said several factors had helped the tsunami relief funding drive.  They included the unique images broadcast by media around the world and the tsunami’s timing as it swept the region during the Christmas season right before the start of a new budget year.  “If we had had more images from more tourists of the actual earthquake and how it fell on people ... on how people were drowned in rubble ... people would have sent more assistance”, he added.  “There was an absolutely extraordinary outpouring for the Indian Ocean Tsunami.”

He added that donors were now approaching the end of the budget year and many had empty pockets.  If necessary, national parliaments should convene to create the necessary funding mechanisms for earthquake aid.  “Our biggest worry is the cold and bad weather which starts this week ... that we will run out of resources in the middle of the marathon unless we get more money.”

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For information media • not an official record