Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Islamabad (Fides Service)- The 13 December 6.7 earthquake (Richter scale) which had its epicentre in the Hindu Kush area of north east Afghanistan was felt also in Pakistan, but so far there have been no reports of damage or injuries to victims of the previous October earthquake. It emerged from a survey by the UN and NGOs in Pakistan involving 3,000 families affected by the earthquake living below the snow line, (5,000 ft) that 75 per cent of the family units need more aid in terms of structural and/or thermal protection.
The survey said that 3,000 tents need to be either structural supported or replaced and there is urgent need of more blankets, duvets, plastic sheeting and tarred cloth if earthquake survivors are to survive the cold Winter. Thanks to twenty mobile teams the United Nations High Commission for Refugees UNHCR has distributed 322,904 blankets, 60,875 sheets of plastic, 3,751 heaters and 1,209 sleeping bags and another 250,025 blankets, 77,281 plastic sheets and 28,993 heaters are on the way to affected areas.
In the meantime UNHCR continues to deliver aid to Pakistan. At the weekend with an air lift financed British Department for International Development 27,000 heaters were delivered. UNHCR hopes soon to obtain 25,000 plastic sheets from Copenhagen and 25,000 from Afghanistan, and 13,000 heaters over land from Iran.
UNHCR has delivered 200,000 blankets from India and 50,000 from China. To help survivors make better use of this aid UNHCR asked a team of Afghan refugees to demonstrate in organised and non organised camps methods of protection against cold. Five camps in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) now have tents with plastic covering and floors. The Afghans are also showing camp people how to make igloo type huts for the heaters to prevent outbreaks of fire in tents.
UNHCR mobile teams in charge of manning camps are teaching the camp residents to build and use these structures. UNHCR is supporting the Pakistan authorities and NGOs in forty organised camps which host about 55,000 people. UNHCR assists another 333 spontaneous camps. It is estimated that at least 183,000 people live in relief camps (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides 15/12/2005 righe 38 parole 491)
