Dear Sector Partners,

 

Please find attached the draft working for Emergency Shelter and NFIs sector response for Earthquake Contingency planning.

 

Additionally, we plan to organize the sector coordination meeting tomorrow at 3 pm. Will send out invite separately.

 

Best regards,

 

Sumera

 

 

Dear Sector partners,

 

As part of HCT decision, under the leadership of OCHA all of the sectors are preparing for Earthquake contingency with 1 million target per sector. The priority regions are Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The attached draft is available for your review and reference.

We are requested to also highlight the names of the partners which has stocks available or have some emergency funding available which can be activated during the times of emergency or the stand-by partner staff arrangements to cover the priority areas. Also each partner is requested to indicate their capacity to respond and amount of funds required for the response. Please provide your inputs by 9 January 2025 for consolidation.

 

As being Shelter sector our response should be in phases;

Phase 1 – upto two weeks of the disaster where emergency shelters are provided to affected families. The shelters should be weather and culturally appropriate. CCCM activities, etc.

Phase 2 – after 2 weeks upto 6 months shelter kits and preparing for recovery and reconstruction.

 

We’ll also conduct a shelter NFIs and CCCM sector meeting on 10^th January to discuss the contingency plan further.

 

Thank you and best regards,

 

Sumera

 

 

 

Dear Colleagues,

Further to the email below from the OCHA Head of Office to the HCT (in the bottom), please find the key points and next steps for the ISWG:

 

Response Duration and Caseload:

The proposed duration for the response (relief phase) is six months.

The caseload across all sectors is set at 1 million individuals per sector.

 

Priority Sectors (First Two Weeks):

Health, Food, Shelter, WASH, and Logistics will be the focus during the initial two weeks.

 

Sectoral Response Plan Review:

All sectors must review and update their response plans based on:

A caseload of 1 million people.

A response duration of six months.

 

Sector-Specific Priorities:

Health Sector:

Revise the plan with an emphasis on medical evacuations, care for injured populations, and ensuring the availability of medicines for severe injuries.

Shelter Sector:

Prioritize the distribution of tents that are weather-appropriate and culturally sensitive.

Logistics Sector:

Begin discussions with NDMA to understand protocols for aid handling and UNHAS operations.

 

Geographical Prioritization:

All sectors must focus on hard-to-reach geographical areas for their response.

 

Capacity Mapping:

Sectors should map existing capacities, including NGO partners on the ground, in prioritized geographical areas.

Provide updated partner lists, following the same approach used for the Monsoon Contingency Plan.

 

Dear colleagues, kindly submit the revised information latest by 15^th January.

 

Many thanks for your continued support.

 

 

 

 

Dear HCT colleagues,

I hope this finds you well. I would like to share an update on three key areas: the HCT Earthquake Contingency Plan, assessments in hard-to-reach districts, and the response in Kurram.

1. Earthquake Contingency Plan

Following discussions with Mr. Nadeem Ahmed (Regional Advisor, ADPC) at this week’s ISCG meeting:

• Sectors will review their activities, costs, and target populations, taking lessons from past earthquake responses and the current situation.
• A dummy flash appeal will be developed to cover a six-month response period.
• During this preparedness phase, sectors are encouraged to:
• Consult members to provide project budgets.
• Map existing presence of sector members and NGOs.
• The ISCG recommended activating clusters in case of a high-severity earthquake.

2. Assessments in Hard-to-Reach Districts

• OCHA, in collaboration with local authorities and ECHO-funded District Coordinators, has completed assessments in 27 of 28 hard-to-reach districts across Balochistan, KP, Sindh, and Punjab.
• The remaining district, Kurram, is pending.
• The analysis is ongoing, and the initial report will be shared by 20 December.

3. Kurram Response

Situation Overview:
The ceasefire has improved the situation in Kurram, though it remains fragile and unpredictable due to ongoing security concerns. Most IDPs have returned home, but urgent needs remain, including:

• Food, medicines, and healthcare.
• Tents and winterization kits due to harsh winter conditions.
• Support for house repairs (damage surveys are ongoing by district authorities).

Response Efforts:

• PDMA KP: Provided 1,000 tents and NFIs to Kurram, and 150 tents and NFIs to Hangu. They also allocated PKR 40 million (US$ 143,865) for emergency relief.
• The Government has allocated PKR 155 million (US$ 557,475) for house repairs based on ongoing damage assessments.
• PRCS: Reached 16,141 people with cooked food, drinking water, and medical services as of 13 December.
• Other Partners:
• Al-Khidmat: Distributed 100 food packs and 250 winter kits (including blankets) on the Hangu-Kurram border.
• WHO/UNICEF: Supplied essential medicines to the provincial health department.
• UNHCR: Provided NFI kits (thermal blankets, buckets, jerry cans) to 43 Afghan families (236 individuals) in Hangu.
• IOM: Confirmed provision of 1,600 emergency kits, shelter kits, and hygiene kits. Four kits per family will be distributed through PRCS in Kurram.

Gaps and Challenges:

• Access: The Thal-Parachinar road remains closed due to security, restricting the movement of relief items and access to essential services. Only the government and PRCS currently have access.
• Health: The District Hospital in Parachinar urgently needs essential medicines, and critically ill patients require transportation to tertiary facilities.
• Shortages: The district authorities report shortages of food and fuel supplies.
• Data Gaps: The lack of detailed needs assessments is making response mobilization challenging.

The Governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has officially requested humanitarian support for food, NFIs, winterization kits, and medicines. While access remains limited, partners and UN agencies are coordinating with PDMA, government departments, and PRCS to deliver relief. OCHA will continue working closely with all stakeholders to facilitate the response as much as possible.

Wishing you all a peaceful and restful holiday break.

Sincerely,

Carlos

 

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Carlos Geha | Head of Office | UN OCHA Pakistan

 

Mobile/WhatsApp:        +92 349 100 9793

E- mail:                           gehac@un.org 

Office Address:             UN OCHA Office, level 2, Serena business Complex, Islamabad

United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)