Winter and Neglect Threaten Thousands of Pakistan Quake Survivors

Posted: 9 December 2005

A dramatic increase in the international relief operation is essential to avert a second disaster in earthquake-ravaged Pakistan, Oxfam warned today.

Aid has yet to reach many of the survivors of the Oct. 8 quake, and thousands of people are suffering from respiratory infections. People in some communities have told Oxfam that they are digging graves before the ground freezes in preparation for the deaths winter may bring.

"There is a real danger that this unprecedented natural disaster will be followed by a manmade one", said Farhana Faruqi Stocker, Oxfam's Pakistan country director. "The international community must work together and work faster to fulfill its promise to prevent further deaths."

However, the United Nations relief operation remains severely short of funds. So far, donors have committed to funding just 40 percent of the UN appeal for the crisis, but only some of that money has come through. In effect, only a quarter of the appeal is funded.

Unless the international community provides the help the region needs, many people in the remote mountain villages will suffer. Their choices are bleak. Some feel compelled to stay where they are, in part to look after their land and livestock. There is little time left for aid workers to reach them with the shelter materials necessary for winter survival.

Other quake victims have left their devastated communities to seek shelter in the crowded camps below. More action is needed to help these survivors, too. Oxfam welcomes the process initiated by the government of Pakistan to transfer the management of much of the relief operation from military to civilian authorities. But the agency cautions that the shift needs to be done in a phased manner that supports the civilian groups.

Properly equipped and well-managed camps together with adequate provisions for villagers remaining in mountains will help people survive the winter.

"The time to act is now," said Stocker.