Description of the disaster
A massive earthquake of 7.5 magnitude struck North West Pakistan on 26 October 2015, leaving at least 280 people dead and injuring over 1,773 people. The quake was also felt in the neighbouring countries of the region. The epicentre of the earthquake was in neighbouring Afghanistan in a remote part of Hindu Kush range at a depth of 212 kilometre.
The earthquake caused damage to more than 109,070 houses and 497 school. Nine districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province including Malakad, Chitral, Shangla, Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Torghar, Swat, and Buner and two agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) namely Bajaur and Mohmand Agencies were listed as the worst affected areas and remained the focus of relief efforts.
The quake damaged buildings and basic infrastructure in these areas; although over much of the area, the damage was moderate in amount and character. The houses with ordinary construction were buckled and fissured but the houses made without bricks and iron, were completely damaged. Information received from the more affected areas confirmed the preliminary surveillance that the winterisation kits, shelter, NFIs and health services will be primary needs of the affected areas.
Overview of response of host National Society
Over the last few years, the Pakistan Red Crescent (PRC) has made a continuous progress in improving its response capacities to support the affected/vulnerable communities before, during and after disasters. After earthquake in 2015, the PRC launched a response operation focusing on providing a relief package to earthquake affected families with fully damaged houses, provision of mobile health services in targeted areas, provision of cash grant, and replenishment of some of the dispatched stock to ensure organisational preparedness for future emergency response.
Soon after the disaster, the PRC headquarters from its Emergency Operational Centre (EOC) started coordinating with field teams, Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement partners and NDMA. While at provincial and district branch levels, coordination with Provincial and District Disaster Management Authorities was the responsibility of the respective branches.
The disaster management information system (DMIS) was updated and the National Society dispatched alert messages for possible deployment to its national disaster response team (NDRT) members. At national headquarters a team of 20 NDRTs volunteers were on standby, along with NDRT kits consisting on beneficiary registration forms, essential medicines and relief items to support the field teams if requested.
At provincial level, two PRC teams consisting of 20 emergency response team (ERT) members were deployed soon after the aftermath of the disaster. One static team was positioned at Lady Reading Hospital of Peshawar (in KP) to assist the injured, while the second was sent to different affected areas to provide first aid services to the injured and if required to transport them in PRC ambulances to nearby hospitals. This resulted in safe transportation of 16 injured people.
Through PRC response operation for Pakistan earthquake 2015, the National Society has provided support to around 7,271 families (50,897 individuals approximately) in 12 most affected districts in KP, FATA and Gilgit Baltistan (GB) with provision of CGI shelter, non-food items (NFIs), cash grants and health assistance through MHUs. Main donors to support the response operation included IFRC, ICRC, other PNSs and Telenor (a telecom company). PRC first time launched a pilot project of cash transfer program (CTP) in districts of Torghar, Shangla and Chitral with the support of Danish Red Cross and German Red Cross Societies.