PRELIMINARY RAPID FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT IN GILGIT BALTISTAN AUGUST 20100 World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan Regional Office (Gilgit Baltistan) GCIC Complex, NLI Colony Jutial, Gilgit, Pakistan Phone: 0092 5811 455658 & 455725 Fax: 0092 5811 455688 Email: gcic.wwf@gma 1 il.com
SUMMARY: The nature s cycle consists of variety of seasons and monsoon is one of them. Normally the rainy season is considered as a blessing but this time it has brought collateral damage with it, as the heavy rains triggered both the flash floods and river floods in several areas of the country, rendering millions of people homeless, foodless and victim to epidemics. The heavenly spot of Gilgit Baltistan covering some 72,696 square kilometer area, administratively distributed into seven districts namely Gilgit, Skardu, Diamer, Ghizer, Ghanche, Astore and Hunza Nagar also suffered from the flooding. Normally the region remains out of eastern monsoon range except a small portion in the Astore district but this time unusual western disturbances culminating into devastated floods have ruined entire region. More than 200 people have died; around a hundred thousand are homeless, about 3000 houses have completely smashed and worth million sources of livelihood have been damaged. Public infrastructures such as roads and bridges, hospitals and schools have disappeared. Perhaps these are the worst floods that the country ever experienced during the last hundred years and the United Nations estimates that the humanitarian needs are greater than in 2005 Earthquake. The population finds itself between devil and the deep sea. Gilgit, the administrative capital of Gilgit Baltistan is completely cut off from its adjacent districts as well as neighboring countries. INTRODUCTION: Monsoon rains and the associated flooding in the months of July August is a normal phenomenon in Pakistan but the current un interrupted heavy torrential rains and consequent floods inflicting large scale damages is far beyond the estimated calculations. The magnitude varies from minimum to maximum on the scale depending upon the nature of the problematic floods in different areas. Gilgit Baltistan has been badly eroded. Basic infrastructure, communication, hydro power, bridges, roads, hospitals, schools, houses and other private properties have been badly shattered. Almost 3000 houses have collapsed, 200 villages have been eroded, 87000 people are rendered homeless, 183 deaths have been reported so far, 3650 hectare agricultural land has been washed away, 504 irrigation channels, 950 Km road, 182 small and medium size suspension bridges, over 5000 livestock heads and some 100112 fruit and wild trees have been destroyed. Almost all hydro power installations have been washed away; as a result the whole region is shrouded in the darkness. Drinking water is short to be non existent and the available contaminated water appears to be a source to brood a variety of epidemics. 2
Methodology: The facts and figures quoted here in this report are derived from different primary and secondary data sources like relevant organizations such as Gilgit Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance Pakistan and Red Crescent Society Pakistan (RCSP). Field information has been collected through interviews and group discussions with flood affecties in different affected areas. Map showing houses and agricultural land damages in Gilgit Baltistan DAMAGE ASSESSMENT: An emergency situation is prevalent in the whole country, and is so here in Gilgit Baltistan, as a result of greater losses to social, physical and economic assets and widespread displacements. Easy access to the affected areas appears as a big challenge due to destruction of roads, bridges and 3
minor treks. The mighty flood is not allowing masses to escape or stand up against its deadly waves, and resultantly, life, material and economic losses have occurred on large scale. One of the greatest losses of primary concern is the tremendous damage to Karakoram Highway (KKH), the principal connection and life line of the region to the rest of the country. The whole region is experiencing the worst shortage of edibles, food, water, shelter and medicine; consequently the people who survived off the floods are now suffering from epidemics, starvation, lack of medicine, and shelter. District The district wise assessment of damages caused by flood is as under: Total Population (million) Villages Affected Persons affected House Damage Dead Land/ crops (kanal) Road (km) Bridge Trees Cattle heads Irrigation Channel Gilgit 0.247 45 18000 760 05 16000 160 06 15000 112 90 Skardu 0.219 36 18000 110 56 11000 170 04 1012 1213 50 Diamer 0.135 30 17000 950 103 13000 237 14 9000 1558 84 Ghizer 0.121 39 15000 526 05 14000 115 105 50000 1500 100 Ghanche 0.089 15 7000 250 13 6000 65 03 10000 210 60 Astore 0.072 13 6000 79 01 7000 110 06 2000 50 50 Hunza Nagar 0.980 17 6000 145 Nil 5000 90 12 13100 26 70 Total 1.863 195 87000 2820 183 72000 947 182 100112 4669 504 Legend: One ha = 20 kanals Source: Gilgit Baltistan Disaster Management Authority, Gilgit; Aug 15, 2010 The puzzling plight of humanity is crystal clear in the flood driven areas. Aid and assistance is the immediate necessitate of the time. Although the local government and people of the area are striving their best to develop by leaps and bounds but the monsoon flood devastation is so huge that it has put an absolute full atop to it, and is beyond the capacity of a single government. The immediate consequence is that no developmental work can be initiated in the near future rather heavy investment would be required to recover each and every sector. It is the moment for the domestic and international organizations to come to the fore front and play their part to keep the wheel of life moving. What is immediately needed? Food (preferably dry edibles), drinking water, medicine and shelter (tents & bedding) are immediately needed. Right at this moment, it is very difficult exactly quantity the above mentioned needs. However, the affected population (87000 people) can be used to quantify relief aid calculations. Rough estimations for food, drinking water, shelter and medicine for some 100,000 4
people @ 8 persons per family for at least one month can be considered in the beginning for the following items: 1. Food (dry packed edibles) 2. Drinking water (Solar energy filters) 3. Shelter (Tents, mattresses/bedding) 4. Medicine & Surgery (Basic surgical instruments, dressing stuff and injections; life saving drugs, injections and others) Some pictures of flood damages in Gilgit Baltistan (Pakistan): Figure 1: Flood in Gilgit (July 30, 2010) Figure 2: People fleeing to safer places (Gilgit) 5
Figure 3: Flood devastation in Gilgit (July 30, 2010) Figure 4: Livestock losses ( a major source of livelihood) 6
Figure 5: Maize crop damaged by flood Figure 6: Electricity system smashed and firewood pressure on forests 7
Figure 7: Houses destroyed by heavy flood (Ghizer) Figure 8: Infrastructure damage (A suspension bridge in Ghizer valley) 8
Figure 9: Road completely damaged by flood (Astore) Figure 10: A village eroded by flood, no more exist in Astore 9
Figure 11: Floods also affected fish resources in Gilgit River Figure 12: Flood affecties in temporary shelters (Gilgit) 10