Pakistan Earthquake Response

Bulletin 8 - November 14, 2005

Hardship Conditions...for Victims and Relief Team

It's getting more difficult for the PACTEC team in the outpost at Balakot. The water filtration system installed by another NGO has stopped working. That NGO has already left and the guys are stuck dipping river water for bucket baths.
Nobody is really brave enough to take a bath because the temp has fallen and it's begun raining. To top it off, they've run out of the chemical packs used to heat the MREs, so they're stuck eating cold food. We walked into town today to scout out the grocery possibilities. Could only find some crackers, cookies, bananas and tangerines. There was some rice, but the guys don't have cooking utensils yet. Pots, plates and glasses are on their way from Islamabad this weekend.

The rain has knocked down the dust, but now mud is a problem.

Communications Status Update:
The Balakot site has connected 25+ laptops to the wireless system. Muzaffarabad has connected 45. Both sites now have at least four public computers. Balakot has one IP phone. Muzaffarabad has two phones.

Busiest time is after dinner, when aid workers return from their day in the field. At times, it's difficult for the PACTEC staff to be able to close for the night as so many agency staff want to use the communications tent.

Bulletin 7 - November 10, 2005

The mountain region of Paras had a population of 8,000. 800 died. Everyone you meet has lost family members. Almost everyone is living in tents. The tents are canvas and not weather proofed or winterized.

The road to Paras has been opened for only a few days. The road is treacherous. Much of the original paved highway has slid away. Some sections remain with large cracks running through them, some as deep as three feet. The mountainside drops at least a thousand feet to the river below. Most of the way, the road is only one "lane" and requires four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Streams of refugees pass on foot carrying large loads and herding their cattle, goats and sheep. This often causes traffic jams and delays.

I was guided by members of an Islamic relief agency into the area. They have been among the warmest, most accomodating and gracious people I have ever met. Many people have said, "We don't want money. We need shelter, blankets and food." I spoke with International Red Crescent workers in Paras who were doing a "house-to-house" survey...but there are no houses left. They said they found people sleeping under only two sheets. Some were crowded four families to a tent. The temperatures at night are near freezing and winter is coming within the next few weeks.

-- Ron Wormser

Bulletin 6 - November 8, 2005

The schedule of the staff assisting with relief in Pakistan is essentially non-stop, 24/7. Just yesterday they learned that a ferry capsized off the coast of Pakistan with all 60 passengers on board presumed dead. This nation is beleaguered with disasters.

The death toll from the earthquake is now almost 80,000 people. More than 3.5 million people affected, 472,000 houses demolished, 50% of the roads in this large mountainous area have been destroyed.

There are still many many villages that have not even been reached yet and there are no roads to these villages - so they have to be accessed by climbing over the mountains with what little aid we can bring. Aid agencies have run out of insulated tents and only half of the need has been filled - about 250,000. They have also run out of blankets and none are available in Islamabad. The Chinese government is stepping up production to try to fill this need as quickly as possible. PACTEC staff members in Islamabad are wrapping their jackets around their knees because it's so cold - and this isn't even up in the mountains! The need for insulated tents and blankets is extremely critical.

Yesterday was a banner day for PACTEC and it's communications staff up in Muzaffarabad. They served more than 100 people from various NGOs who needed their internet services that day - it was really exciting.

So with that success, the next team headed up the mountain to the next site to start installation of the second satellite dish. We haven't received a progress report yet except that some of the equipment was held up because of traffic jams on the road. This is a narrow, winding, mountain road with lots and lots of vehicles - including trucks - slowly moving their way up to their destinations. On top of all of the traffic, the recurring tremors cause continuous mud/land slides are blocking the way for lengthy periods of time.

Bulletin 5 - November 7, 2005

Emergency communication center operational

The first emergency communication center has been operating for several days. The VSAT satellite connection is operating in Muzaffarabad from a camp installation between the UN and relief NGOs (non-government organizations) . We are able to serve the UN out of some excess capacity which makes many people very happy. As in Banda Aceh, the UN OCHA loves us as our emergency communications facility brings in the NGOs to do their reporting on the much-needed data the UN is trying to collect and disseminate. The Internet phones are a real hit as well.

A staff member, in Islamabad for the next couple of days, is purchasing heaters for the communications tent. It's getting quite cold.

The second site in Balokot is on the way to becoming operational. The tent is up, the VSAT is installed, and the staff is building a tent floor and tables .

Bulletin 4 - October 17, 2005

PACTEC responding to Pakistan earthquake
The death toll has now reached 54,000 and more than 3 million are homeless and cold with winter fast approaching. PACTEC is already onsite. More than $400,000 is needed now to cover the cost of emergency satellite communications and relief flights.

Without a timely response, many more will die in Pakistan than in the aftermath of the tsunami. It has become apparent to relief agencies now in Pakistan and India that this earthquake is a humanitarian crisis of a magnitude that far exceeds anything in recent history.

The death toll and homeless numbers are adjusted upwards every day! Unlike Indonesia’s tsunami, this disaster hit mountainous terrain in the Himalayas and not in the tropics or near beaches. Millions without shelter are at high risk for fatal diseases -- some 2 million more people than those that were at risk after the tsunami! The focus is beginning to shift from medical care and the recovery of bodies to addressing health issues. Tents, water and 60,000 latrines need to be in place soon or people will die from exposure and diseases. To increase the speed and effectiveness of the response, a UN coordination effort with an agency “cluster system” has been implemented. Agencies doing similar work such as health care, shelter, protection, shelter, etc., have been grouped into a cluster system. PACTEC is the only agency currently included in the communications cluster, other than the UN.

There are approximately 200 non-government agencies involved in the Pakistan relief effort. All need emergency communications that PACTEC can provide to coordinate their efforts. Time is running out fast. Winter will be here in 4 to 6 weeks. Sadly, funding is not as readily forthcoming as for the tsunami disaster.

Pakistan Telecoms Authority has granted PACTEC a license to install up to 5 VSAT satellite communication centers. Additional sites are under needs assessment. At approximately $50,000 per site for equipment, more than $250,000 is needed just for emergency communications.

By some measures, the disaster is worse than the Indonesian tsunami. To increase response resources, PACTEC has repositioned a Cessna 210 from the Afghanistan program to assist in the relief effort. An additional $162,000 will be needed to support relief and development flights for the next three months. Presently, staff members from the program in Afghanistan have supported the response needs in Pakistan as well as in Afghanistan. The team is exhausted from long days and short nights. Additional staff is being recruited to assist and relieve the Afghanistan team.

Bulletin 3 - October 14, 2005
PACTEC Flight & Communications Response to Pakistan Earthquake

PACTEC has obtained flight clearances from Islamabad to Muzaffarabad and other airports in the earthquake area.

Coordination on aviation and emergency communication services has been taking place in Islamabad where a Cessna will be based. From there, the aircraft will fly emergency communications systems to be positioned where needed. It also will conduct survey flights in the earthquake area.

The relief flight schedule will be driven by needs and emergency communications will be similar to the tsunami response in Sumatra.

Disaster communications equipment will be flown to Islamabad on October 15 and will be deployed instantly. The emergency network will provide much-needed communications via internet for other agencies responding to the disaster. The system will allow quick and reliable wireless access to the internet in areas where power is not available. A wireless router will provide immediate wireless access to agencies on the field. These units will be powered by a generator.

After emergency communications have been deployed, PACTEC will survey potential sites to set up VSAT satellite communications. For agencies with older laptops lacking built in wireless, the VSAT network will allow them to connect their laptops to the PACTEC system.

Bulletin 2 - October 12, 2005

In a bulletin just received from our staff in Afghanistan, PACTEC expects to commence relief flights soon. One staff member is currently in Islamabad planning the relief effort and another is ready to position a Cessna 210 there.

Although helicopters have been made available (NATO, US, UN and AKF), it appears as though more air transport is needed for relief goods and workers.

More details should be available tomorrow and will be posted as they arrive.

Bulletin 1 - October 11, 2005

PACTEC is responding to this disaster.

Helicopters, of which PACTEC has none in its fleet, are the aircraft needed for immediate relief efforts. PACTEC has flown relief efforts out of Afghanistan to Islamabad. From there, helicopters are transporting them to the affected areas. Also, PACTEC has flown emergency communications equipment to use in disaster relief.

PACTEC staff have met with representatives of the Pakistan government as well as NGOs with regards to the need to position one of its fixed-winged aircraft in Islamabad. If there is a specific need for a Cessna or King Air, we would be in a position to deploy the aircraft the next day.

Please join us in praying for the victims and their families.

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