As mercury plunges in Pakistan, UN refugee agency boosts aid to quake survivors

With temperatures in mountain villages plunging to minus 10 degrees Celsius at night, the United Nations refugee agency is boosting its winterization campaign with a new round of aid distribution in camps for survivors of Pakistan’s devastating October earthquake, which left up to 3 million people homeless.

“We hope that these new supplies will enable people in camps to have the full package of winterized items – three blankets per person, four mattresses and two plastic sheets per tent,” UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) spokesman Ron Redmond told a news briefing in Geneva today.

Some 250,000 blankets and 77,000 plastic sheets are being distributed this week in camps in North West Frontier Province and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. These are in addition to some 19,500 tents, 430,000 blankets, 60,000 plastic sheets, 16,000 mattresses, 25,000 jerry cans and 20,000 kitchen sets distributed earlier.

“Despite these efforts, people will inevitably try to stay warm with candles and stoves in their tents, increasing the risk of tent fires,” Mr. Redmond said. “We're working with the authorities to find safe ways to provide heating in camps.”

The 8 October quake killed over 70,000 people and injured 70,000 others and relief officials are worried that the toll could rise substantially if sufficient aid is not provided to protect the survivors against the harsh Himalayan winter.

UNHCR is concerned that more people from the upper valleys may come down as temperatures dip and is working with the government to expand existing sites and build new ones to accommodate up to 50,000 more arrivals.

As the lead agency for camp management, UNHCR is currently supporting the authorities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in 37 planned camps with 57,742 people. There are at least another 335 spontaneous camps with 126,718 people.

“Living conditions in spontaneous camps are an ongoing concern,” Mr. Redmond said. “Our technical mobile teams have been fixing latrines, bathrooms and communal kitchens in 50 of these camps so far.” UNHCR is working with partners like the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the NGO Oxfam to provide water.

As the year draws to a close, UNHCR’s plans for next year focus on capacity-building and registration while continuing to provide assistance and coordinate services in camps. “After this emergency phase, our priority will be to empower the Pakistan authorities, local NGOs and quake survivors themselves in order to facilitate the process of return and rehabilitation once winter ends,” Mr. Redmond said.