Islamabad, 27 October, 2015
Overview
Following the magnitude 7.5 earthquake that struck Badakshan Province, Afghanistan on 26 October, relief efforts are underway in Pakistan with the Government leading the response. Currently there are 231 people reported killed in Pakistan with 185 of those fatalities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). In addition, 1,656 are injured with 1,456 of those injuries in KP. Damages and aftershocks are verified in other provinces, but KP remains the most severely affected. Emergency measures are in effect in all areas of KP and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Hospitals and government services are responding as needed.
Information regarding damage and casualties continues to be compiled as reports from more remote areas are received.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)– The Provincial Disaster Management Agency of KP is distributing 2000 tents, blankets, and floor mats to affected families in Chitral, Shangla, Upper and Lower Dir, Torghar, Swat, and Malakand. One thousand food packages have been sent to Chitral district. More than 1000 vehicles and passengers who had been stranded in the snowstorm have been evacuated from Naran Kaghan valley. There are some injuries and structural damages reported in Tank, DI Khan, Kohat, Hangu and Karak, but no fatalities as of yet. Government teams are deployed to gather information. The remaining families on Togh Sarai Camp are unaffected.
Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA)– Bajur Agency was one of the most affected areas of FATA and the Government has provided 192 tents, 450 rations of cooked food and financial compensation packages of PKR 60,000 to the families of dead, and PKR 10,000 to the injured. Kurram Agency has reported no deaths, but there are injuries and structural damages. Assessment teams continue to gather information there.
There is very little information from Orakzai available due to its remote location and poor communications.
There are no reported damages in South Waziristan.
Punjab - According to PDMA Punjab, there were five fatalities as well as reports of partial damage to houses and injuries occurring in Mianwali, Sargodha, and Baakkar. Communication networks remain disrupted and structural damage is also reported in the Old City of Lahore.
Balochistan– Although the quake and aftershocks were felt in Balochistan, there are no reports of deaths or injuries.
Pakistan Administered Kashmir (PAK)- PAK reported one death and nine injured.
Humanitarian Response
The government is leading the response effort with support from the military and civil society. The immediate needs will consist of emergency shelter, winterisation supplies, health needs (especially first aid/trauma kits, and maternal and neo-natal supplies), and water and sanitation support including purification kits and containers.
Although there has been no formal request for assistance from the Government to the international community, UN and NGOs are in a state of readiness to respond to any forthcoming requests.
The UN along with NGOs and other humanitarian partners are present on the ground. The World Food Program (WFP) has diverted existing emergency stocks in the area of Bajur and distributed food to families, complimenting the government response. Assorted food items (oil, wheat flour, salt, and YSP) for 1,320 earthquake were distributed to affected families in Salarzai, Mamundkhar and Utman Khel tehsils in FATA’s Bajaur agency with PRCS. Additional food for 1,800 people has been dispatched. The World Health Organization (WHO) has mobilized emergency trauma kits as a supplement to the Ministry of Health’s efforts.