Sector Status

Affected Population

4 million people affected; estimated 3.3 million displaced or homeless. (Oct-13, Reuters) Nearly half of the four million affected people are in PcK and another 1.3 million in NWFP.

UNICEF estimates some 1.6 million to 2.2 million children were affected by the earthquake and 17,000 children killed while attending school. The head of UNICEF, Ann Veneman, says that the trauma for survivors is worse than that from the tsunami. Veneman repeated warnings of a “second wave” of deaths if children are not provided proper health care. (Oct-31, AFP) UNICEF estimated earlier some 50-60 percent of the dead victims are children and some 32,000 young people had died while another 42,000 were injured. (Oct-18, Reuters)

Death toll is at 54,000 with 36,000 deaths in Pck and around 18,000 in NWFP

Coordination

The GOP formed a 7-member Civil Services Special Task Force. In addition to coordination, the task force will supervise foreign relief workers, NGOs, and volunteers. The task force will work under the Federal Relief Commissioner. Saeed Ahmed Khan is chief coordinator; Ishtiaq Ahmed is coordinator for NWFP; Tariq Khosa is coordinator for PCK; Qasim Niaz is coordinator for donor agencies; Arifa Sofi is coordinator for NGOs; Mohsin Rizvi is coordinator for foreign offices; and Dr. Ashfaq is coordinator for health services. (Oct-19, GOP)

Federal Relief Commission will coordinate rescue and relief operations. Major General Muhammad Farooq Javed, Chairman of the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission will head the Commission.

An Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) has been established to rebuild infrastructure. Lt. Gen Muhammad Zubair, engineer-in-chief of the Pakistani Army is chair. (Oct-17, Dawn)

A Humanitarian Information Centre (HIC) has been set up within the UNDAC/UN coordination centre. (Oct-14, UNOCHA) A UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator will be based in Muzaffarabad. (Oct-19, UNOCHA)

The UN created three humanitarian hubs in Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Mansehra. (Oct-15, VOSOCC) UNOCHA says two additional hubs are being considered at Balakot and Batagram. (Oct-19, UNOCHA)

An Emergency Response Centre has been opened in Islamabad. (Oct-15, ERC)

Ten sectoral coordination clusters were established to bring together the government, UN agencies, NGOs, IOs, militaries, and donors. (Oct-22, UNOCHA)

A mobile NATO headquarters became operational Thursday (October 27). The Deployed Joint Task Force (DJTF) is coordinating NATO relief activities with Pakistani officials. (Oct-27, Dawn)

Pakistani army has opened three more military bases at Dhamial, Peshawar and Tarbela to assist in the relief operations. Army is operating six forward bases in Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Rawalkot, Balakot, Batgram and Mansehra. The army has also set up three main reporting and information centers at Havelian, Mansehra, and Gahri Habibullah for better security and effective execution of relief, rescue and rehabilitation operations in NWFP, the GOP says. (Oct-27, DPA)

President Pervez Musharraf said that there was a network of some 45 Army points in place. There are six major points, three each in NWFP at Mansehra, Balakot and Batagram, and Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Rawalkot in PcK. (Oct-19, Jang)

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is operating out of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir (PcK) while the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society (IFRC) is working in the rest of the country. (Oct-11, Alertnet)

Logistics

A giant Russian MI 26 copter arrived over the weekend to help with road clearing efforts. (Oct-31, Khaleej Times)

117 helicopters in total are operating and more are expected. (oct-30, UNOCHA)

UNOCHA says as much as 30 percent of affected areas remains inaccessible. (Oct-27, USAID) According to the UNOCHA, there is only a three-week opportunity to deliver assistance to mountainous areas of Pakistan before the first snowfall. (Oct-24, UNOCHA) Unprecedented logistical challenges in some 30,000 square kilometers of high-altitude terrain remain.

UNHCR says it has set up a new relief supply line from Iran on Wednesday (October 26) from its Kermanshah warehouse near the border with Iraq. (Oct-28, UNHCR)

UN warning it would be forced to ground its helicopters over next few days if its funding shortfall is not met quickly. WFP says it is facing a 90 percent shortfall in its air support operations and 84 percent gap in its appeal for emergency food aid funding. (Oct-27, OCHA)

A UN Joint Logistics Center (UNJLC) cell has been created within the UN Coordination Centre in Islamabad together with the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) antenna. (Oct-14, UNOCHA)

A joint NATO-UNHCR airlift from Incirlik airbase in Turkey will ferry some 860 tons of aid from UNHCR’s regional warehouse in Iskenderun. (Oct-19, UNHCR) NATO plans to send some 1,000 troops, including a 500-strong engineering battalion. (Oct-21, AFP)

International Financial Assistance

Total contribution towards humanitarian effort in Pakistan (including bilateral, NGOs, UN agencies, etc): US$251 million committed; US$1.05 billion pledged. Total: US$1.3 billion. (Oct-27, DFID)

International donors and representatives from some 60 nations around the world pledged US$580 million at a donor’s conference at United Nations (UN) headquarters in the Swiss capital Geneva on October 26.  Ahead of the conference, the UN had revised its consolidated flash appeal on October 25 from US$312 million to a little over US$549 million, following additional field assessments of the affected areas.  However, UN officials say only US$15.8 million of the new money was pledged to its emergency flash appeal, aimed at providing food and shelter to over 2 million homeless people exposed to severe winter weather.  Most of the pledges are earmarked for reconstruction.  The UN is seeking the US$549.5 million to cover immediate life-saving and early recovery needs for the first six months of the emergency phase and says it has received some US$122 million in pledges of which US$67.8 million is in firm commitments.  The UN says it is currently 80 percent short of needed funds.

Food

WFP says that survivors will start dying from lack of food within a month and women and children will be the worst hit if the world fails to help. WFP malnutrition was already a problem in affected areas with some 60 percent of children chronically malnourished before the quake and 10 percent affected by wasting of the body. (Oct-31, AFP)

WFP says that latest assessments say that 2.3 million people may require food aid to get through the winter. (Oct-28, WFP)

WFP says six out of nine districts affected by the earthquake were in the most food insecure parts of Pakistan. According to an assessment carried out by WFP with support from UNICEF and Oxfam, priority should be given to the estimated 200,000 people living in the most difficult to reach areas in Neelam, Jahlum, Kargan and Naran Valley as well as upper parts of Alai which may soon become cut off by snow for several months. Half of rural households lost most or all of their grain and a quarter of livestock was killed. (Oct-28, WFP)

Eight NGOs are partnering with WFP. (Oct-28, WFP)

Water and Sanitation

CARE International, Intersos, Tearfund, International Medical Committee, Alisei, American Rescue Committee, ACTED, JEN and Merlin are assessing and coordinating in this sector. (Oct-17, UNOCHA)

In Muzaffarabad and Bagh, the pipe network was damaged, ceasing all water distribution. Safe water and sanitation have been restored in some parts. (Oct-23, 25, UNOCHA)

NATO will send 3 water purification plants. (Oct-21, NATO)

THW has installed two water treatment plants in Muzaffarabad and Balakot which are producing 250,000 liters a day, to supply 17,000 people. (Oct-17, UNOCHA) Six plants will be set up n Batagram, Balakot, and other areas. (Oct-22, UNOCHA)

Public Health/Medical

Thousands of people showing up each day at makeshift clinics with increasing cases of scabies, diarrhea and pneumonia. (Oct-30, AP)

NATO has flown in a field hospital which will be staffed by more than 150 staff. Medical equipment and drugs were also brought in. (Oct-31, DPA)

In Muzzaffarabad, 8 field hospitals are up and running and providing some 600 beds. Of the 155 health facilities, 147 were destroyed. (Oct-31, IRIN)

WHO says that latest assessments show 291 health facilities destroyed and 74 partially damaged out of a total of 564. Less than half continue to operate. WHO is appealing for US$27.57 as part of the revised UN appeal. So far US$11 million has been pledged. (Oct-28, WHO)

USAID DART reports WHO measles campaign progressing well in Muzaffarabad. WHO has deployed 19 two-person teams to expand campaign to rural areas. On Oct 26^th WHO confirmed 14 cases of measles in Batagram and Balakot. (Oct-27, USAID) WHO says at least 1 person has died of measles, and a total of 30 cases have been reported in the quake zone. (Oct-27, WHO)

Medecins sans Frontieres (MSF) warns that homeless survivors are at risk of dying from hypothermia and pneumonia unless they find shelter before winter arrives. WHO reports increased instances of acute respiratory tract infections, including pneumonia in highlands areas, with children reportedly being most affected. MSF says that it may have a suspected case of haemorrhagic fever. (Oct-26, Reuters)

WHO field offices are operational in five of the most affected locations: Bagh, Balakot, Mansehra, Muzaffarabad, and Rawalkot. Mental health activities have begun in Muzaffarabad and Mansehra. (Oct-25, USAID)

A joint WHO/Ministry of Health operations center has been established in Islamabad to coordinate health efforts. (Oct-12, WHO) The Health Emergency Operations Centre (HEOC), is located at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences. (Oct-14, UNOCHA)

WHO and the Ministry of Health have set up an Early Warning and Response Network (EWARN), starting with Muzaffarabad, to quickly identify and respond to outbreaks. (Oct-21, GOP)

Around 200 medical facilities are operational in the affected area, including 16 in PcK, with the rest in NWFP. There are some 52 field hospitals in place. (Oct-27, OCHA) IRIN reports some 99 percent of all first aid posts have been destroyed. (Oct-28, IRIN)

The GOP says that the Pakistani Army was running some 8 field hospitals at full capacity. (Oct-18, GOP) US will send three field hospitals (Oct-20, Jang). The US Army 212^th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) with more than 100 US soldiers arrived in Muzaffarabad. (Oct-24, AP)

MSF has a field hospital in Bagh and three clinics in nearby villages. Bagh’s hospital and 22 health clinics were destroyed. There are reportedly two makeshift civil hospitals and a military hospital in its place. (Oct-26, Reuters) UNICEF will establish at least 30 medical centers in Muzaffarabad, Rawalkot and Bagh to provide basic medical services. (Oct-18, IRIN)

WHO says that a total of 23 hospitals and 3 tuberculosis hospitals have been completely destroyed in the affected areas. Of the more than 600 primary health care centers, many have been destroyed or completely damaged. (Oct-12, WHO)

The Jang reports that at least 40 people have died of tetanus. (Oct-28, Jang) GOP and WHO have arranged for 200,000 doses of anti-tetanus serum (ATS) to be airlifted from Cairo to affected areas. Minister of Health, Nasir Khan says that 1.8 million additional doses would arrive over next few weeks. (Oct-21, GOP) Selected measles and tetanus vaccinations taking place in Rawalakot and Bagh. (Oct-27, WHO)

WHO has set up a website to facilitate information exchange between health partners at www.whopak.org. (Oct-17, UNOCHA)

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) opened a 100-bed field hospital in Muzaffrabad on October 21. (Oct-21, ICRC)

Nine UN Population Fund (UNFPA) mobile health units are serving over 2,000 patients a day in Muzaffarabad and Mansehra. (Oct-22, UNOCHA)

Shelter

Some 140,000 tents have been provided and 200,000 are in the pipeline. Estimated shortfall of some 100,000 to 200,000 foreseen when combined totals of expected tents are delivered by November 30. (Oct-30, UNOCHA)

The UN emergency shelter cluster says that Pakistan faces a shortfall of up to 200,000 shelters to accommodate the 3 million homeless. (Oct-28, IOM)

UNHCR has begun setting up a camp of 600 tents at a park in Muzaffarabad. Each tent can accommodate a family. UNHCR plans to supply some 20,000 tents and almost 250,000 blankets to survivors. (Oct-29, DPA) UNHCR’s emergency teams in Mansehra, Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Batagram and Balakot are working with the army and others to identify sites for temporary camps at lower elevations. So far one dozen sites have been identified. (Oct-28, UNHCR) UNHCR has set up three new tent sites in Jhelum Valley, with a capacity for 24,000. Agency has yet to move into Neelum Valley, where road access remains difficult. (Oct-27, AP)

Academy for Disaster Management Education says that many tents supplied by the army are unused because they are inadequate, villagers are unable to set them up or don’t know how to. (Oct-31, ADME)

In Mansehra, local and provincial officials are creating 25 tent villages with capacities up to 300 tents (Oct-27, USAID)

UNHCR has set up 9 temporary camps with the GOP which have been established in and around Mansehra and Muzaffarabad and up north towards Balakot, ranging in size from 60-3,000 people. UNHCR says hundreds of spontaneous settlements have appeared as well and is surveying needs. (Oct-27, DFID)

Infrastructure

USAID says almost 90 percent of schools destroyed. USAID working with UNICEF to restart schools. (Oct-27, USAID)

UNICEF, quoting Pakistani government estimates, said that 6,700 schools were destroyed in NWFP and another 1,300 destroyed in PcK. (Oct-31, AFP)

UNICEF says it will address the psychological needs of teachers and some 20,000 children who will have “physical impairments.” (Oct-31, AFP)

In Nheelum Valley, almost 90-100% of buildings were destroyed. (Oct-27, UNOCHA)

90% of the structures in Bagh have totally collapsed, almost 100 percent of structures in Nasera district in Jhelum Valley have collapsed. (Oct-23, 25UNOCHA)

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz says that about US$5 billion in damages was caused by the earthquake. (Oct-15, Reuters)

World Bank announced a US$470 million package to help the GOP in the reconstruction of quake-devastated areas. The package includes US$100 for highway reconstruction, US$130 million financing of community infrastructure and US$200 million in quick disbursement credits from the Bank’s concessional International Development Agency (IDA). An additional US$40 million in IDA funding was announced earlier-25, WB)

Security

The first Child Friendly Space was expected to be launched Friday (Oct-28) at the edge of Balakot city. (Oct-28, WVI) World Vision is focusing on child protection and plans to establish 20 Child Friendly Spaces to support three camps in the area that are expected to host some 253,000 people. (Oct-21, WVI)

UNICEF has asked the GOP to appoint “child protection officers” in all major hospitals. (Oct-19, PTI) UNICEF is creating field offices in Mansehra and Muzaffarabad to coordinate emergency response for child protection. (Oct-14, UNOCHA)

The Pakistani government is in the process of setting up aid staging posts at Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Rawalkot, Mansehra and Balakot for relief and security. Troops being deployed every 10 km to provide security, search for survivors and provide relief in most affected areas. (Oct-19, GOP)

Sector Status

Affected Population

150,000 people displaced (Oct-13, AFP), about 90 percent of them remain homeless (Oct-17, AFP) Of these, about 10,000 affected families are in Poonch district. (Oct-26, Kashmir Times)

Jammu and Kashmir Social Welfare department sent to identify quake-hit families to enable rapid distribution of aid. (Oct-21, Times of India)

The Indian National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), which already has a presence, called for protection of the rights of victims. (Oct-14, Kashmir Times) Both military and separatist militants in the region have been known to commit human rights abuses against civilians in the restive region.

Caritas India and local partners plans to help over 5,000 children in educational and recreational activities for psycho-social healing. (Oct-25, Caritas)

Coordination

No international assistance requested by the Indian government

ATHROT, a relief action program for IcK-based NGO, has been set up by a number of independent voluntary organizations, such as the Jammu and Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society, Doctors Offering Care and Kashmir Times Publications, to coordinate the efforts of private organizations. ATHROT opening centers in Uri, Salamabad, Karnah, Tangdhar, Teetwal, Keran and Machhil for relief distribution. (Oct-24, Kashmir Times)

To address coordination problems, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) established disaster response force with Army and paramilitary personnel. (Oct-18, Kashmir Times)

State and federal government on Monday (October 17) agreed on a three-pronged rehabilitation strategy: Financial assistance, short-term construction of community shelters and long-term construction of quake-resistant infrastructure. (Oct-14, BBC News)

State Cabinet appointed five government officers to coordinate relief and reconstruction: BA Runiyal, Relief Commissioner, will be in charge in Uri; Sharief-ud-Din – Srinagar; Qamar-ud-Din - migrants; GM Rather - Tangdhar; Jeet Lal Gupta – Poonch. (Oct-16, Daily Excelsior)

IcK government has set up a media center in Uri (Baramulla district) to provide information on relief operations in the area. (Oct-17, PTI)

Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has a Control Room functioning around the clock that is closely monitoring the situation. (Oct-12, MHA)

Action by Churches Together (ACT) member, Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA), planning to undertake initial relief operations to assist 10,000 affected families through four local partners: Al-Bashir, CNI Hospital/Church, Hindustani Convent Church (HCC) and COVA network. (Oct-12, ACT)

ActionAid is conducting a survey of more than 25 villages in the remote areas of Uri and Baramulla to identify areas that have not yet received aid.

HelpAge International providing relief in partnership with HelpAge India and Help the Aged. Relief being carried by foot to areas around Uri. (Oct-17, HelpAge International)

Save the Children expanding its response from the initial target of 5,000 families to 20,000 families across the four affected districts of Kupwara, Baramula, Poonch and Rajouri. (Oct-13, Alertnet) SC has established base camps in Tangdhar (Kupwara) and Uri (Baramullah), reducing difficulties caused by bad weather and frequent security checks at roadblocks. (Oct-25, SC)

Caritas Internationalis has launched an appeal for over US$5.5 million to assist local partner, Caritas India. Caritas India, Catholic Relief Services (CRS), and the Catholic Social Service Society (CSSS) of the Jammu and Kashmir Diocese launched relief and rehabilitation program in at least 10 villages in Uri and surrounding areas. Will provide 4,000 families with essential food and non-food items through end of November. (Oct-25, Caritas)

At least 11 NGOs from western state of Gujarat, with experience from the 2001 earthquake disaster, including the Center for Environment Education, will aid in rehabilitation work. NGOs currently helping to construct permanent and temporary homes in Uri. (Oct-27, Khaleej Times)

Logistics

Border Roads Organization (BRO) says road from Baramulla to Kaman Bridge on Line of Control will be operational by December 15. (Oct-17, Times of India) BRO says that it would take 8 to 10 days to re-open Uri-Muzaffarabad road due to dangerous landslides and damaged areas. (Oct-25, Kashmir Times)

The Indian Army has cleared most of the roads into the hard-hit areas of Uri and Tangdhar (Baramulla and Kupwara districts). (Oct-13, PTI)

Food

GOI has provided one free month of food and kerosene rations to each affected family in Poonch district. (Oct-14, Reuters) The GoI has distributed 1,426 quintals of rice, 937 quintals of atta and 961 quintals of wheat in Poonch district. (Oct-27, PTI)

Jammu and Kashmir branches of Indian Red Cross have distributed 5 MT of dried food rations. (Oct-11, Alertnet)

The Indian Red Cross staff involved in relief operations in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, and Uri. (Oct-11, Alertnet)

UNICEF provided 17 tons of biscuits for children – about 3 tons distributed through Army. Nutrition camps organized at Salamabad. (Oct-21, Time of India)

According to a local doctor, most people in the area already suffer from malnutrition, making them especially vulnerable to lack of food.

Water and Sanitation

Water and electricity supplies restored in the Hazratbal and Jamia Masjid areas of Srinagar. Restoration efforts ongoing in other towns. (Oct-15, UNDP)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) airlifted 51,200 liters of water to IcK. (Oct-14, PTI)

Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA) conducting wat/san assessments in two villages allocated to them by the government. (Oct-28, EHA)

Public Health/Medical

Although no threats of disease, epidemic control units established at Uri and Tanghdar by the health services department. Officials say all 142 affected villages have been visited by medical teams. (Oct-24, PTI)

The Indian Directorate of Health coordinating medical relief. 21 medical response teams to affected areas. GOI says so far, 66 ambulances are being used. 12,725 injured have been treated at camp hospital in Uri, and another 7,500 have been treated in Tangdhar. (Oct-24, PTI) Twelve hospitals in three Kashmir districts, including in Srinagar city, have started offering counseling to survivors. (Oct-15, AFP)

A team of rehabilitation/orthopaedic doctors have arrived in IcK under the Ministry of Social Empowerment. (Oct-18, NIC)

HelpAge International and its partner Help Age India have sent mobile medical unit to Uri in and two other mobile medical units to the outlying villages. (Oct-11, Alertnet)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has airlifted 40 MT of medicine. (Oct-12, MHA)

UNICEF has sent four-member team to Srinagar to assess immediate requirements in health, education, nutrition, wat/san and psychosocial/child protection. (Oct-15, UNDP)

ActionAid India is providing counseling and giving support to earthquake survivors in India with an 80-strong team including 40 local people. (Oct-11, Alertnet)

The Academy for Disaster Management Education, Planning and Training (ADEPT) working the Catholic Diocese of Jammu, along with ADEPT partner Christian Medical College, to provide medical services in Uri, Baramulla. (Oct-23, ADEPT) CMC Ludhiana, partner of ADEPT, set up base camp in Baramulla in order to provide medical services to surrounding villages. (Oct-25, ADEPT)

Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) recruited help to bolster counseling centers for mental trauma. (Oct-15, AFP) MSF teams working in Baramullah, Uri and Srinagar and Tangdar. (Oct-20, Reuters)

WHO India is providing a number of services, including technical guidelines, two tons of emergency surgical kits, relief items, and a disease/injury surveillance system after staff obtains necessary security clearance. Measles vaccination and vitamin A supplementation being discussed with government and UNICEF. (Oct-20, WHO)

Caritas India and local partners hope to provide 4,000 families with regular basic health services by March 2006. (Oct-25, Caritas)

Emmanuel Hospital Association (EHA) providing medical services in Baramulla – has begun de-worming campaign due to prevalence of worm infection among children. Providing medical treatment in two villages allocated to them by the government, as well as the Gujjar communities. (Oct-28)

Shelter

Jammu is seeking 10 community halls to shelter people from approximately 60 affected villages in Poonch. (Oct-26, Kashmir Times)

Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Hakim Mohammad Yasin said GOI readying timber in Uri in Baramulla district and Tangdhar in Kupwara district so survivors can repair homes or supplement shelter. There are about 135,000 cft (cubic square feet) timber available in Uri and 125,000 cft at Tangdhar, with another 40,000 cft in storage in Sopore and Baramulla. 273 mts of CGI sheets, and 20,000 bags of cements also being made available. (Oct-24, PTI) The CGI sheets and timber are intended for construction of temporary shelters measuring 150 square feet (14 sq meters). (Oct-27, PTI)

In another report, Director General Police Gopal Sharma said 7,000 cubic feet timber (cft) and 15,000 CGI tin sheets are available in Uri and Tangdhar for building or repairing shelter. 300 engineers are assisting in construction. (Oct-25, Kashmir Times)

IcK government has opened relief centers in Mirwaiz Manizil and Jamia Masjid and seven relief camps in Uri, Tanghdar and Poonch. (Oct-15, UNDP)

The government plans to construct 31 community halls in Uri to accommodate survivors during the winter. (Oct-26, AFP)

International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), in cooperation with the Indian Red Cross (IRC), providing shelter, food and clothes assistance to cover the needs of 15,000 households (15,000 tents, 15,000 kitchen sets and 60,000 blankets). The ICRC has contributed 49,000 blankets, 7,316 kitchen sets, 600 tents and 400 tarpulins to the Indian Red Cross. (Oct-22, ICRC)

The Jammu Red Cross Society has provided 2,000 blankets, 90 tents, and other items to Poonch district. (Oct-14, Kashmir Times) Indian Red Cross Society has distributed over 10,800 blankets, over 1,800 kitchen sets, 330 tents and 1,300 food packs, as well as plastic sheeting and clothing. Over 11,600 blankets, 1,900 kitchen sets and 170 tents are on the way to the area around Uri. (Oct-22, ICRC)

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has airlifted 5,800 tents, 124,000 blankets, 10,000 woolen pieces of clothes and 1,870 tarpaulines. (Oct-14, PTI)

World Vision India said it will be providing tents to 3,000 affected families in the state. World Vision Canada has offered used tents in good condition from the Department of National Defense. (Oct-21, Times of India)

ADEPT plans to providing shelter items for affected from base camp in Baramulla. (Oct-25, ADEPT)

ActionAid India is providing assistance to 3000 families in the form of waterproof tents, community tents, blankets and family kits containing 15 days of food, shoes and education materials for children, medicines and essentials for women. (Oct-11, Alertnet)

Save the Children ordering 6,000 tents. Survey team hired to rebuild earthquake-proof shelters – will be surveying villages to determine shelter options w/ other agencies. (Oct-24, SC)

Caritas providing 3,000 families with emergency tented shelter in Uri. It is hoped that 2,000 families will build transitional homes with adequate sanitation facilities through material and cash-for-work incentives by March 2006. (Oct-25, Caritas)

Sustainable Environmental and Ecological Development Society (SEEDS) was first external team to reach Poonch and coordinate with district authorities on October 9. Second team sent on October 22 to Poonch which also distributing shelter items. Urgently needed items include woolen cloths, milk powder, pediatric medicines, children’s footwear, blankets and school kits. (Oct-27, SEEDS)

GOI has begun with construction of community centers in Uri, which will hold 600 to 700 people and are expected to be completed in two weeks. Centers will also have wat/san facilities. (Oct-28, Kashmri Times)

Infrastructure

According to the government, 42,750 homes have been destroyed and another 73,450 damaged. (Oct-23, ADEPT)

Government focusing on repairing water pipelines, opening schools and persuading skilled and unskilled labor to stay and help restart livelihoods in affected areas. (Oct-25, Kashmir Times)

Minister for Housing and Urban Development Ghulam Hassan Mir says rehabilitation in Uri and Tangdhar, where some areas experienced 100 percent damage, rehabilitation will take a year. Rehabilitation in Poonch estimated to take two months. (Oct-26, Kashmir Times)

GOI has set up four telecom facilitation centers in Srinagar, Jammu, Uri and Tangdhar to facilitate conversations between family members across the Line of Control (LoC) in badly-affected Pakistan-controlled Kashmir (PcK). (Oct-18, Hindustan Times) Wireless communication network functional in Uri and Tangdhar. (Oct-15, UNDP)

Power Development Department (PDD) has suffered losses of 290 million rupees in IcK. At least 1,000 transformers have been damaged. (Oct-14, PTI) The Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Department has begun repairing damaged infrastructure. (Oct-23, ADEPT)

Traffic on National Highway 1A between Srinagar-Tangdhar and Srinagar-Rui disrupted due to landslides. (Oct-15, UNDP)

Two aftershocks measuring above 5.0 on the Richter scale shook the region on Saturday (October 29), including one at 5.9. Landslides above 5.0 can cause earthquakes. (Oct-30, Kashmir Times)

Security

A female suicide bomber blew herself up in Pulwama district on Thursday, October 13, in the first incident of its kind in IcK. (Oct-13, PTI)

Country on alert following bomb attacks in New Delhi that killed about 60 people over the weekend. Kashmir separatist group, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) believed to be involved. Two militants were killed in continuing clashes yesterday (October 30). (Oct-20, Kashmir Times.

Indian intelligence sources warned that the Jama’at ul Dawa (JuD) group, linked to the Kashmiri separatist Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), have set up relief camps in PcK, close to the LoC, where Pakistani military has been unable to reach. (Oct-25, Hindustan Times)

The Global Green Peace group today warned that shifting of thousands of landmines along the disputed Line of Control (LoC) may pose a danger for survivors and aid workers. (Oct-20, Hindustan Times)

Over the weekend, four Rotary International tents were burnt down in Baramullah by a mob coming out of mosques following rumors that the organization was involved in conversion and “anti-Islamic” acts. (Oct-24, SC)

Aid agencies contending with frequent security checks and roadblocks in the region. (Oct-24, SC)