OCHA Situation Report No. 3 Pakistan - Drought 30 May 2000
Situation 1. The worst drought in Pakistan's history is rapidly taking hold, particularly in the provinces of Balochistan and Sindh. The drought is now spreading into other, normally rain-fed areas in Pakistan. Much of the country has received very low rainfall since 1998 and this situation has been exacerbated, particularly in the customarily rain-fed areas, by an unusually dry period which commenced in November 1999 and has continued up to the present. The worst-affected regions are Chaghi, Kalat, Killa Saifullah and Aranji in the Khuzdar district of Balochistan, but the drought has also taken its toll in and around deserts of Thar in Sindh and Cholistan in Punjab. In all, around 2.4 million people have been affected; 1.1 million and 1.3 million, in Balochistan and Sindh respectively. 2. Most of Pakistan is characteristically arid to semi-arid. The country embraces an area of about 800,000 square kms and is home to approximately 130 million people. Annual precipitation is highest (around 1,500 mms) on the southern slopes of the Himalayas and gradually decreases in the southwest. Only 9% of Pakistan receives more than 20 inches (508 mms) of rain per year. A further 22 % receives between 10 to 20 inches (254 to 508 mms) and the remaining 69% receives less than 10 inches (254 mms). Rain falls primarily (70 to 80 %) in the monsoon months of July, August and September over most of Pakistan. Some areas, especially in the north and west, have a rainfall distribution with two peaks, mid-winter being the second rainy season. However, since upland Balochistan is outside the monsoon zone, drought conditions there are likely to persist for most of the year 2000. 3. According to the latest report provided by the Pakistan Government's Emergency Relief Cell of Cabinet Division through the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Islamabad, the losses/damages and the short-term needs are as follows: Balochistan Sindh Affected District 23 3 (88% out of the total 26) (14% out of the total 21) Affected 1.09 million 1.3 million Population (17% out of the total 6.5 (4% out of the total 30 million) million) People killed 16 127 Affected 10.65 million 5 million Livestock (47% out of the total 22.5 (21% out of the total 23.8 million) million) Livestock killed 2.18 million 0.03 million Short-term Requirements Balochistan Sindh Food: 6,000MT (PKR 450 mill) Food: - (PKR 864 mill) Fodder: 490,000 MT Fodder: 40,350 MT (PKR PKR2,170 mill) PKR 325 mill) Medicines: - (PKR40 mill) Medicines: - (PKR 390 mill) Tents: 50,000 (PKR250 mill) Water supply: (PKR 25 mill) Water bowsers: 200 (PKR 20 mill) Repair of tube wells: (PKR 25 mill) Water tanks & water pumps: Logistic support: (PKR 12 mill) 2,000 each (totaling PKR 40 mill) Transportation, sheds and items mill) of daily use: (PKR 50 mill) Total: PKR 3,020 mill (USD 59 mill) Total: PKR 1,641 mill (USD 32 4. The drought situation will rapidly deteriorate if the July rains fail to materialize. Livestock remaining in the area will perish, thereby endangering livelihoods. There will be large scale population movement as people move onwards in search of sustenance. The numbers of people affected will rise significantly, and so too will the cost and complexity of the relief effort. National Response 5. During a visit to the drought-ridden areas of Balochistan and Sindh on 11 and 12 May, the Chief Executive of the Pakistan Government announced that national and provincial governments in Pakistan have mobilized all their resources for rehabilitation of the drought-affected population. In addition to an emergency grant of PKR 2 billion (USD 39 million) for immediate relief in the provinces of Balochistan and Sindh (PKR 1 billion each), the Federal Government has announced a further PKR 1.5 billion (USD 30 million) for relief work in Balochistan. The Government has also activated a control room of the Emergency Relief Cell to monitor the drought situation. 6. The provincial governments of Balochistan and Sindh have declared the drought-hit areas as the 'Calamity Affected Areas' so as to provide exemption from payment of land revenues, postponement of unpaid dues and provision of relief assistance to the affected people. The provincial governments of Punjab and NWFP (North-West Frontier Province) and have also donated relief assistance to the two worst affected provinces. 7. So far, government authorities have been managing short-term relief assistance, with some support from donors, NGOs and the UN system. International Response 8. The Government of the United Kingdom has provided GBP 2 million (USD 3.2 million) to WFP for the provision of food relief to the people suffering from the drought in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India. 9. The Government of Turkey contributed USD 3 million. The Government of United Arab Emirates provided in-kind contribution worth PKR 13.642 million (USD 266,000). 10. The United States has provided a budget allowance of USD 25,000 as an Ambassador's disaster assistance grant to be used by Church World Services for the provision of seed, fodder and safe water by drought victims in southern Pakistan. The United States has also approved an allowance of USD 20,000 to be used by Mercy Corps International to drill a large borehole and build a water distribution system to serve a severely affected area in Balochistan. 11. FAO and WFP are now finalizing a report of a Crop and Food Assessment Mission focussing on Balochistan, Pakistan and on Afghanistan. 12. The UN system in Pakistan has fielded an assessment mission focusing on non-food issues in Balochistan and Sindh from 24 May to 6 June, in cooperation with the Government of United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID). A detailed report will be prepared and shared with all concerned in due course for future action. 13. In response to a request from the UN Resident Coordinator in Islamabad, OCHA has made available an emergency cash grant of USD 30,000 from its own funds, and has also decided to allocate a grant of USD 25,000 from a contribution for relief assistance from the government of Norway, held in reserve by OCHA. The UNDMT in Islamabad will support the Balochistan government in providing feed for livestock with the use of these two grants. 14. OCHA is in close contact with the UN Resident Coordinator in Islamabad and will revert with further information. 15. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int Telephone: +41-22-917 1234 Fax: +41-22-917 0023 In case of emergency Tel. +41-22-917 20 10 only: Desk Officers: Ms. S. Metzner-Strack / Mr. R. Mueller / Mr. S. Matsuka Direct Tel. +41-22-917 21 44 / 31 31 / 40 34 Press contact: (in GVA) Mr. Donato Kiniger-Passigli, direct Tel. +41-22-917 2653 (in NY) Ms. Phyllis Lee, direct Tel. +1-212-963 48 32 distributed by - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Volunteers in Technical Assistance Disaster Information Center lists: www.vita.org/listsub.htm sitreps nat-dsr web: www.vita.org fireline - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -