US embassy cable - 05ISLAMABAD15555

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 ISLAMABAD 015555 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE ALSO PASS TO USAID 
USAID/W FOR A/AID ANDREW NATSIOS, JBRAUSE 
DCHA/OFDA KISAACS, GGOTTLIEB, MMARX, RTHAYER, BDEEMER 
AID/W FOR DCHA/OFDA 
SOUTH ASIA RESPONSE MANAGEMENT TEAM 
SOUTH ASIA EARTHQUAKE TASK FORCE 
DCHA/FFP FOR LAUREN LANDIS 
ANE DEPUTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATOR MARK WARD 
BANGKOK FOR OFDA SENIOR REGIONAL ADVISOR TOM DOLAN 
KATHMANDU FOR OFDA REGIONAL ADVISOR WILLIAM BERGER 
ROME PASS FODAG 
GENEVA FOR RMA AND NKYLOH 
NSC FOR JMELINE 
EUCOM FOR POLA/J3/J4/J5 
BRUSSELS FOR USAID PLERNER 
NEW YORK FOR TMALY 
SECDEF FOR SOLIC/PKHA, USDP/J3 
JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC FOR J3/J4/J5 
HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE FOR J3/J5 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: AEMR, ASEC, EAID, ECON, KMDR, KPAO, MASS, OIIP, OPRC, PGOV, PK, PREL, Earthquake, Earthquake: USAID/DART Situation Report 
SUBJECT: PAKISTAN - EARTHQUAKE:  USAID/DART SITUATION 
REPORT #2 
 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  From October 13 to 15, the USAID/Disaster Assistance 
Response Team (DART) conducted an assessment in Muzaffarabad. 
 The USAID/DART,s assessments confirmed that winterized 
tents are the priority in earthquake affected areas.  The 
health cluster estimates that 67,000 persons are in need of 
immediate medical attention, and 13,000 people have been 
evacuated as of October 15.  Participants at the October 15, 
U.N. Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) meeting 
reported that there is a need for additional field hospitals 
in more remote areas of Pakistani Kashmir, as well as women 
health care providers.  Operational hospitals lack adequate 
water supply, and some water treatment units are needed for 
these facilities and communities.  End summary. 
 
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USAID/DART Assessment Trip to Muzaffarabad 
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2.  From October 13 to 15, three members of the USAID/DART 
and a U.S. Embassy representative traveled to Muzaffarabad to 
conduct assessments.  The USAID/DART met with the UNDAC team 
leader, and stated that as of October 13, the local 
government had called off all search and rescue operations in 
Muzaffarabad, and all search and rescue teams were being sent 
home.  The UNDAC leader noted that cooperation between the 
U.N. and the military has been excellent in Muzaffarabad. 
UNDAC is in the process of starting coordination meetings, 
and is currently trying to determine which non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs) are operating in Muzaffarabad.  The 
UNDAC leader noted that there is a lack of coordination with 
local NGOs. 
 
3.  According to the USAID/DART, the German government has 
two helicopters in Muzaffarabad and on October 14, one 
helicopter traveled north to Neelum, and the other helicopter 
traveled south to Jhelum.  On October 14, the German 
helicopters evacuated 171 Level One trauma victims. 
 
4.  The USAID/DART reported that in Muzaffarabad, the 
International Organization for Migration (IOM) will take the 
lead in shelter, the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) in 
health, and the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) in food. 
 
5.  On October 14, the USAID/DART was told by an Indian 
Kashimiri who left Indian Kashmir after the earthquake that a 
600-person camp was set up on the road to the airport in 
Muzaffarabad.  The USAID/DART was told that of the 600 camp 
residents, 50 to 60 people are in tents and the rest are 
sleeping on the ground.  Throughout the team,s assessment 
trip in Muzaffarabad, members were repeatedly told by local 
residents and government officials that tents were the number 
one priority.  On October 16, three USAID airlifts of relief 
commodities carrying a total of 1,570 tents are scheduled to 
arrive in Pakistan. (Note: The USAID/DART is working on a 
comprehensive shelter strategy.  End Note.) 
 
6.  The team reported that the airport at Muzaffarabad 
receives four to five C-130 airdrops of food, medical 
supplies, blankets, and water per day.  However, no tents are 
being delivered.  The airdropped items are then airlifted to 
affected villages by helicopters or provided to villages on 
the road to the airport. 
 
7.  The Federal Minister for Communications for Pakistani 
Kashmir visited the USAID/DART and stated that local 
officials are having problems accessing affected villages. 
The USAID/DART reported that the Minister,s priorities are 
tents (assuming 5 persons per family), blankets, and 
bulldozers or earth moving equipment to dispose of the debris 
from collapsed houses. 
 
8.  The USAID/DART Health Officer (HO) reported that a 
100-bed hospital run by the International Committee of the 
Red Cross (ICRC) and located in the new stadium will be 
operational on October 18.  The hospital will have a heavy 
surgical capacity, as well as primary care, OB/GYN, and 
pediatric services.  The hospital will have 2 surgeons, 2 
anesthesiologists, and 40 professional personnel, including 
doctors and nurses. 
 
9.  The USAID/DART HO visited the Pakistani Air Force 
Hospital at the airport in Muzaffarabad.  The hospital opened 
on October 11 and staff saw 174 patients on that day.  Since 
October 11, hospital staff members have seen between 300 and 
350 patients per day.  Most of the patients do not stay in 
the hospital and return to their homes or camps.  There are 
very few inpatients.  The hospital has x-ray capability, 
OB/GYN and labor and delivery services, surgeons, 
anesthesiologists, and medical doctors.  The USAID/DART HO 
spoke with a doctor at the hospital who told him that tents 
are the priority. 
 
10.  Medecins sans Frontieres-Belgium (MSF-Belgium) conducted 
an assessment by road during the week of October 10 and 
observed that tents are a priority.  Jackets and winter coats 
are also needed since residents will use them to protect 
themselves from the cold weather and also as minimal shelter. 
 
11.  The USAID/DART HO helicoptered up to the Jhelum Valley 
to deliver emergencyrelief supplies.  The road along Jhelum 
is blocked in multiple places, and only one bridge across the 
Jhelum River is intact.  The USAID/DART HO visited a village 
where 20 houses were all heavily damaged or completely 
flattened.  The unloading of relief supplies at this village 
was orderly; however, residents rushed the helicopter with 
injured people, and the situation became violent as residents 
fought each other to ensure that their injured relatives 
could be evacuated. 
 
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USAID/DART Trip to Mansehra 
--------------------------- 
 
12.  On October 14, the USAID/DART Structural Specialist 
traveled to Mansehra on an assessment trip with the U.S. 
military and U.S. Embassy representatives.  The team scouted 
forward operation bases and conducted infrastructure 
assessments.  The USAID/DART Structural Specialist reported 
that Mansehra sustained minimal damage from the earthquake 
and primarily mud houses on the hills were damaged.  Roads in 
Mansehra are in good condition and are not blocked by debris. 
 The USAID/DART Structural Specialist noted that the bridges 
in Mansehra were all passable. 
 
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Security 
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13.  The U.N. reported on October 15 that the roads from 
Balakot to Hajipur are now open.  A field hospital that was 
being transported from Muzaffarabad to Chakoti became stuck 
at Gahri Dupatta due to landslides blocking the road in both 
directions.  As of October 14, the Pakistani military is 
deployed on all major roads, and there were no further 
reports of looting. 
 
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Shelter 
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14.  Participants at the UNDAC team meetings determined that 
providing shelter for residents affected by the earthquake 
before winter arrives is the top priority.  The Government of 
Pakistan (GOP) requested that U.N. High Commissioner for 
Refugees (UNHCR) take the lead in the camp management 
cluster.  As of October 14, UNHCR distributed 2,400 
winterized tents, and in the next week several flights will 
arrive with plastic sheeting and other emergency relief 
supplies.  On October 13, Pakistan,s Federal Relief 
Coordinator requested that the U.N. Resident Coordinator (UN 
RC) establish camps for residents displaced by the 
earthquake.  The GOP will be responsible for assisting UNHCR 
identify locations for the camps, logistics, and security. 
UNHCR will provide all other camp functions, except food 
which will be provided by the U.N. food cluster.  On October 
16, UNHCR, accompanied by NGO representatives and 150 tents, 
will fly to Muzaffarabad for a site survey.  UNHCR is also 
assessing Balakot and Batagram. UNHCR plans small cluster 
arrangements versus large tent cities. 
 
15.  The U.N. remains concerned that the internally displaced 
person (IDP) camps do not become a quote pull end quote 
factor attracting large numbers of victims who may be better 
housed in smaller, spontaneous settlements or elsewhere.  The 
U.N. will make a decision soon on sites for other camps as 
well as sites for five warehouses for general use.  Relief 
organizations will be able to temporarily store relief 
supplies in these warehouses before shipping them to 
beneficiaries.  As of October 14, 15,000 tents are available 
in-country, and 67,000 tents are in the pipeline.  Joint 
shelter assessments will take place starting on October 17. 
The current gaps in the shelter cluster are mainly 
procurement shortages; however, solutions, such as supporting 
local providers to increase the production of tents, are 
being suggested. 
 
16.  The Red Cross has 22,000 tents in their pipeline and is 
setting up production lines.  Donors are urged to bring in 
more tents.  UNHCR stated that it is urgent to provide 
assistance to remote areas in order to avoid mass 
displacement of people.  Helicopter assets are expected to at 
least double in the next week. 
 
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Food 
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17.  At the October 14 food cluster meeting, participants 
stated that the distribution of high energy biscuits (HEB) to 
earthquake affected persons is continuing in the areas of 
Mansehra and Muzaffarabad.  As of October 14, 30 tons of HEBs 
have been distributed in Muzaffarabad and 20 tons in 
Mansehra.  NGOs reported that food and relief supplies are 
being distributed by individuals and communities, and the 
local procurement of food commodities is progressing.  NGOs 
are concerned that relief supplies are focused in areas such 
as Muzaffarabad, and many remote villages are not being 
reached.  At present, there is insufficient information 
available on the nutritional situation of earthquake victims. 
 
 
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Water and Sanitation 
--------------------- 
 
18.  According to the U.N., there is an urgent need for 
latrines, and sanitary conditions are reportedly poor in all 
IDP sites.  Operational hospitals lack adequate water supply, 
and some water treatment units need to be provided to these 
facilities as well as communities. 
 
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Health 
--------------- 
 
19.  The health cluster estimates that 67,000 persons are in 
need of immediate medical attention, and 13,000 persons have 
been evacuated as of October 15.  The hospitals in Islamabad 
are filled to capacity.  Punjab Province has cleared 3,000 to 
5,000 beds for patients to be transferred from Islamabad. 
WHO reported 8 cases of bloody diarrhea on October 14 and 80 
cases on October 15.  Participants at the October 15 UNDAC 
meeting reported that there is a need for additional field 
hospitals in more remote areas of Pakistani Kashmir as well 
women health care providers. 
 
CROCKER