Geneva, 4 November 2015
Dear Colleagues,
A powerful earthquake of magnitude of 7.7 struck north-eastern Afghanistan on the morning of 26 October 2015. The majority of reported deaths and damage occurred in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province, the epicentre of the quake being only 67 km from Chitral City. The remoteness of the most affected areas – lying within the Hindu Kush mountain range- in addition to landslides and winter weather have been thwarting attempts to access and assess the scale of need.
Communities in districts most affected have lost essential assets such as food stores, infrastructure, including hospitals, health posts and community buildings that could provide temporary shelter from the freezing temperatures. Heavy rain and snow have been pounding the quake-affected areas, making air access difficult. Although the Pakistan Army has been able to clear essential access roads relief efforts provided so far have been insufficient for the hardest hit areas.
It should be noted that the high levels of poverty, underdevelopment, and isolation preceding the quake severely limit the affected communities’ capacities to provide any immediate relief support for themselves.
ACT Pakistan Forum members have been holding meetings and attending coordination meetings at federal, provincial and district levels, as well as collecting information from partners. Community World Service conducted rapid assessments in Shangla, Swat, Malakand and Buner immediately following the disaster wherever access was possible.
Community World Service Asia, plans to fill the gaps in assistance undertaken by other organizations through provision of immediate food relief and emergency winter kits for vulnerable and homeless families; re-establish health services through mobile services and patient follow-up in the most affected areas as well as enhance quality in earthquake response by building capacity of aid workers, as well as mobilising affected communities to hold providers accountable.
ACT Pakistan Forum member, Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) is currently undertaking needs assessments and will join the appeal within the next few days.