UNDMT 10/10/2005

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coliacou taligetget Held on 10 October, 2005 at WFP, Islamabad

The third meeting of the UNDMT in response to the massive earthquake that hit Pakistan on 8 October, 2005 was held on 10 October, 2005 at 1400 hrs. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Khalife Bile, WHO Representative and was attended by representatives from a large number of organizations including the donor community and INGOs. Dr Bile welcomed the participants and thanked them for their presence.

He outlined the agenda of the meeting as follows:

• Security and relief situation
• Outline of the Flash Appeal by the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) Mission
• Relief response by different agencies/organizations

Mr. Royston Wright, UN Field Security Officer appraised the participants about the situation of roads as follows:

• Wah-Haripur Section………………………Clear
• Haripur-Abbottabad Section……………….Clear
• Abbottabad-Mansehra Section……………..Clear but with some conflicting reports
• Mansehra-Muzaffarabad Section…………...Clear
• Islamabad-Murree-Muzaffarabad…………..Clear
• Mansehra-Balakot Section………………….Blocked
• OXFAM informed that Shangla-Bisham section was also clear for travel.

Mr. Andrew MacLeod from OCHA indicated that relief supplies have started moving north at a slow pace due to logistics constraints and welcomed the US offer of helicopters. He expressed the need for logistical support and warehousing capacity On the issue of Flash Appeal, he informed that the UN Secretary General was going to launch it the next day and that it has to be finalized by 2000 hrs. on 10 October, 2005. In this regard, he requested the cluster groups to finalize their input before the meeting at 1600 hrs. On the issue of affected population, it was agreed that the size of the affected population would be 4 million with one million being heavily affected. The Flash Appeal would cover projects for the next 3-6 months, by which time a formal appeal would be launched.

After this, the situation of Search and Rescue Teams in the affected areas was reviewed as follows:

• Chinese S&R Team: Operational in Mansehra
• UK S&R Team: Operational in Muzaffarabad
• Turkish S&R Team: Operational in Muzaffarabad
• Spanish S&R Team: Operational in Bagh Japanese
• S&R Team: Moving to Battagram Netherlands
• S&R Team: Arrived and moving to AJK French
• S&R Team: Being moved from Rawalakot to Muzaffarabad
• FOCUS Humanitarian S&R Team: One team each in Rawalakot and Muzaffarabad

The relief assistance by different donors and INGOs was discussed as follows:

• Belgium: Belgian assistance increased to 1,000 winterized tents and 2,000 kitchen kits.10,000 blankets present in New Delhi and options explored for its transportation to Pakistan. Field hospital of 15 persons on the way. A sum of 350,000 Euros was allocated for the Field Hospital and 300,000 Euros for the tents that would be distributed through Red Cross.

• Switzerland: Swiss Rapid Response Team has arrived and is on the way to Abbottabad. The Swiss Government has allocated one million Swiss Francs for relief and reconstruction. Additionally, 40 tons of relief goods would be arriving tomorrow by aircraft.

• France: 45 medical doctors have been fielded to establish one field hospital in AJK and one in NWFP.

• Turkey: 4 airplanes loaded with relief goods have been received in Islamabad. Response teams from the Turkish Army, Red Crescent and Civil Defence and NGOs are in the affected areas. Additionally, power generators, food items, medical supplies, tents etc have been airlifted to Pakistan for distribution to the affectees.

• Islamic Relief-UK: A sum of 2 million pounds is available with Islamic Relief for relief support. So far 400 winterized tents and 1,000 blankets have been distributed. Similar support being sent to affected areas near the line of control in Kashmir.

• ICRC: Assessment mission is in the affected areas and 10,000 families have been targeted for relief operations. Mobile hospital to be established within the next 48 hrs.

Tracing activities started in the affected areas.

• Spain: A field hospital will be arriving tomorrow containing 44 medical and firefighting personnel. Another plane carrying three 4x4 vehicles to arrive soon.

• ECHO: A 3.6 million Euros have been announced as a result of a preliminary emergency decision. Assessment mission visiting the country and this sum could be further increased if needed.

• OXFAM: 44,000 families targeted in the affected areas and a supply of tents, plastic sheets, jerry cans and hygiene kits being dispatched to the affectees.

• UK: The British Government has made a sum of US$ 250,00 available to WHO for urgent medical relief. Additionally, 1,000 tents and 10,000 tarpauline sheets available at Dubai and could be airlifted upon identification of the consignee.

• USAID: DART Team arrived in country. Initial support of US$ 100,000 which has been increased to US$ 50 million for relief and rehabilitation support. A plane carrying relief goods also arrived today. Additionally, eight helicopters also being made available for relief and rescue efforts.

• Italy: A thirty-person field hospital arriving shortly.

• WFP: Mobilizing 120 Metric Tons of fortified biscuits for distribution among the affectees.

• Mercy Corps International: Assessment team currently in Balakot.

• Concern: 250,000 Euros worth of relief support being provided.

• Relief International: 1,500 blankets, 200 tents being distributed. Additional relief being received.

• IOM: 2,000 tents and 4,000 blankets being distributed to the affectees.

• Aga Khan Health Services: Two medical teams being sent to the affected areas and two trauma teams on standby.

• SCF: 1,000 tents and 1,000 dry food kits being distributed in Battagram.

• Telecom sans Frontier: A communication center set up in Muzaffarabad to provide relief workers access to telephone and the Internet. Two more communications centers could be established.

• WHO: 11 surgical teams and one public health team being moved to the affected areas. WHO would welcome a partnership with the different health teams and field hospitals operational in the area. Health assistance is being coordinated by the Health Coordination Cell at the Ministry of Health. International Health Teams to contact this cell at phone number: 0514-9261255 ext: 248 or Fax No.: 051-9260724. Additionally Ms. Rachel (0300-8508810) or Dr. Uruj (0300-8546685) can be contacted any time for this purpose.

The participants were requested to share the information on relief support by them and send it to the email address: emergencyresponse@un.org.pk. A special siteis being set up to facilitate information sharing. At the end of the meeting, Mr. Royston Wright informed that he had just received reports from the Superintendent of Police in Battagram that some vehicles carrying relief items were being looted.

Dr. Bile thanked the participants for their presence and stressed on the need for coordination. He informed that the next meting f UNDMT would be held on 10 October, 2005 at 1400 hrs. in UNICEF Office located at 90 Margalla Road, F-8/2, Islamabad .

Telephone Number of the Emergency Operations Cell: 051-2651470 Fax Number of the Emergency Operations Cell: 051-2651072 Email: emergencyresponse@un.org.pk, macleoda@un.org

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