Sungi: Initial Report from NGO working on the Ground - Oxfam/CRS

First Situation Analysis Report
Dated: 8/10/2005
Gul Wali Khan - CRS
M. Idrees Khan – Oxfam GB
Ali Gohar Khan - Oxfam GB
Sungi (National NGO) Team

Background:

• On the morning of 8th October, 2005 a high intensity earth quake with 7.6 on rector scale struck the whole country and specifically northern district of NWFP, Federal Capital and Azad Kashmir. The devastation was also caused on the other side of the border in Kashmir valley.The most affected districts reportedly are Abbotabad, Mansehra, Battagram in Hazara divisio! n and Shangla in Swat, are the worst affected district in NWFP. Similarly Muzafarabad in Kashmir and federal capital were also hit badly by series of tremors. Epicenter of the earthquake was in Hindu kash range somewhere between Mansehra and Muzafarabad in North nearly 100 kms of Islamabad. It is worth to mention that most of these villages were also badly affected with the heavy snowfall and raining during December- January this year. Continuous tremors are coming with half an hour interval and people are compelled to live under open sky.
• Since then there are continuous tremors and 20 after shocks have been felt during the whole day, which have traumatic affects on the affected people.
• Late in the evening heavy rains and hailstorm complicated the situation and access to the remote places became more difficult. It has been reported by different sources that more than 70% katcha houses have been completely damaged and people are compelled to live outside of their houses in the open areas without any shelter. Due to l! andslide and bad weather, most of the access routs to remote area are blocked and inaccessible.
• Due to rain and hailstorm, the temperature will further decreased particularly in upper hilly areas of Hazara and Swat which will deteriorate the situation further.
  
  

Abbotabad:

• In abbottabad city 7 huge buildings including Best Western Hotel, Chin One, Dr. Plaza, large mosque, Gateway Public School, a guesthouse, a gym and addacent shops and flats, PICIC Bank etc. have been collapsed and many more houses and buildings are partially damaged and received huge cracks which compel people to live under the open sky.
• 60 people are reported dead and 300 injured which have been reported admitted in Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad. The government has established emergency cell and declared state of emergency in district hospital. Balakot and Galiyat are reported to be severely affected areas.
• All regular patients and those who received injuries due to earthquake have been kept in tented wards due to crakes in the buildings and continuous tremors.
• Heavy losses to infrastructures and livestocks are reported. However, the exact numbers will be determined at the later stage.
  

• Mansehra:
  
  The 150-bed District Hospital building has received serious cracks and all the patients were evacuated and kept in the open tented in the hospital compound. According to the MS, 270 injured and 7 dead reported till 6:00 pm in the evening. However the figure may increase many times as more patients were pouring in. Team of doctors and volunteers were providing treatment in the open area without proper equipment and arrangements. Though, they have stock of medicines in the hospital, but were running short of the following items as these medicines were not available in the Abbotabad and Manseh! ra markets:
  -Gaypsona 6", 4"
  -Crip Bandages 6"
  -Cotton
  -Cathederin 14, 16 12
  -Urine bags
  
• According to some report Batal and Garhi Habibullah are the worst affected part of the districts. According to some initial informations, two high schools buildings were fully collapsed in the Batal where in 150 children are reported dead and many more injured. A large number are also stranded under the debris.
• Further to above, Balakot Tehsil (Baralkot, Utter sheesha, Batrasi, UC Mahandri, Jaraid, Paris and Dadhar are among the most affected areas. SUNGI staff have recovered 24 dead bodies from the debries in Dadhar. More villages beyond Dadhar are not accessible and there fears that many more ! people are dead.
• In Dadhar and Batrasi roads are block and accessibility to the affected afreas is a big challenge.

Battagram:

• Batagram is the most affected district in Hazara division being reportedly close to the epicenter of the earthquake. According to the Met department, the epicenter was between somewhere Mansehra and Muzafarabad.
• 100 deaths and 500 are reportedly injured in Batagram. This number are increasing with an alarming rate.
• All the 20 Union Councils are badly hit and got severe destruction as per different sources of information including SUNGI's activists and staff. Hothal and Bazar villages are completely destroyed and at 2-3 person are dead in each house.
• There are many remote villages like Bani and other villages in Alai Tehsil in general are among the worst affected areas.
• The hospital building has been collapsed and the patients are reported being treated in the open sky with a very chaotic situation.
• 3 schools building are reportedly collapsed and many children are trapped. There are fears that many children may be dead or severely injured. No support has yet been reached due to difficult terrain and cut off roads and other infrastructure losese.

Shangla:

• 
  Shangla is reported to be the worst affected district in Swat Valley. Due to landslides, all main roads were closed and access to affected villages is becoming difficult. At evening, heavy hailstorm and raining exacerbated further the situation.
• Provincial government has declared the state of emergency in the district. Initially the patients are being admitted in the local hospital in Alpuri and later 14 serious injured were shifted to Saidu Group of Hospital at Miongora.
• According to the initial reports from different sources, 70 people reported dead and 144 are injured. Almost 75% katcha houses are reported collapsed.
  

Swat:

• 50 injured and 7 dead reported so far. 30 houses are completely destroyed in Matta area.
• In Jehanzeb College in Mingora, the building received heavy cracks and 2 students jumped from upper story and broken their legs.

Immediate needs:
As per the initial information assessed, the following are the immediate needs:

-Shelter (tents, reinforced plastic sheetings)
-Medicines with particular focus on orthopadics and bandages etc.
-Blankets/quilts
-Jerricans
-Food
-Water and Sanitation


Available support: Government is trying their best to provide relief assistance and clear the roads to enable access of relief to the victims in the remote areas. Provincial government high officials including Chief Minister NWFP has Aerial visit to the affected areas, but cut short his tour due to bad weather. Prime Minister and President were also expected to visit the area yesterday (October 9, 2005).