FOCUS ON SHELTER SHIFTS TO EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS BELOW SNOWLINE IN PAKISTAN

FOCUS ON SHELTER SHIFTS TO EARTHQUAKE SURVIVORS BELOW SNOWLINE IN PAKISTAN

NEW YORK, 13 December (OCHA) -- Operation “Winter Race” is now shifting its focus to reinforcing shelter assistance for people living below the snowline at 5,000 feet.

“Winter Race”, the international community’s urgent drive to provide shelter and other humanitarian assistance to earthquake survivors in Pakistan’s hard-hit North West Frontier Province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir, has literally followed a “top-down” strategy since its inauguration.  Initial priority was given to assistance for those households that chose to remain at higher elevations.  However, as coverage of those households nears completion, the international community has conducted a rapid assessment on the status of shelter provided below 5,000 feet, jointly conducted by the Government of Pakistan, United Nations agencies, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and non-governmental partners between 30 November and 5 December.

This survey of more than 3,000 households found that approximately three quarters of those currently living in tents outside of planned camps require additional structural and thermal support.  Three quarters of existing tents are without adequate floor insulation, and 60 per cent require additional weatherproofing.  Additionally, one tenth of existing tents have been deemed structurally inadequate by their inhabitants.

This translates into a need for an additional 2.4 million winter-quality blankets or 1.2 million quilts (the international standard is two blankets or one quilt per person); 200,000 tarpaulins for floor insulation; and 470,000 plastic sheets for weatherproofing (300,000 sheets are being already procured by the Government, but an additional 170,000 are still required).  Additionally, 30,000 tents will need to be replaced or reinforced, but the good news is that there are already enough tents in the pipeline to cover needs.  In total, the estimated cost of this additional thermal and structural shelter assistance is approximately $45 million.

The urgency of meeting these needs has been underscored by the World Health Organization (WHO), which warns that the threat to health remains particularly acute due to the combination of severe cold and cramped living conditions, which have led to increased risk of hypothermia and respiratory infections.  The threat of water-borne disease remains ever-present; diarrhoea and dysentery pose a continued risk.  Pregnant women and newborn infants are also at particular risk of disease and the lack of medical facilities.

To date, overall funding for the United Nations Flash Appeal remains just under 40 per cent.  Slightly less than $210 million has been received against the $550 million required, with an additional $23 million in uncommitted pledges.

The United Nations has expressed its gratitude to the six countries that have donated $10 million or more to the Appeal -- Canada, Germany, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States -- and also notes that Germany, United Kingdom and the United States have made critical contributions in terms of helicopter support.  However, in the first half of December, only one quarter as much new money has been allocated to the Flash Appeal as in November.  As there is an urgent need for additional funding to maintain operations throughout the winter, additional donors are urged to make substantive contributions to prevent the United Nations from having to phase down its activities during the critical winter months.

For further information, please call: Stephanie Bunker, OCHA- New York, tel.:  +1 917 367 5126, mobile:  +1 917 892 1679; Kristen Knutson, OCHA- New York, tel.:  +1 917 367 9262; Elizabeth Byrs, OCHA-Geneva, tel.:  +41 22 917 2653, mobile:  +41 79 473 4570.

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For information media • not an official record