Helping earthquake-affected Pakistanis survive the winter
When a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck northeastern Pakistan on October 8, 2005, USAID immediately dispatched a
Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) to support life-saving humanitarian efforts. The anticipated onset of
the Himalayan winter was one of the primary concerns for disaster response specialists concentrating on meeting
urgent needs for the estimated 2.8 million people left homeless. For the humanitarian community, relief efforts
had to balance the immediate provision of shelter with plans to winterize shelters, create transitional "one warm
dry room" structures, and lay the groundwork for longer-term reconstruction.
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| Earthquake-affected Pakistanis receive plastic sheeting from OFDA to prepare shelter for winter (GOAL) |
From the beginning of the response, the DART focused on assessing shelter needs and prioritizing assistance from USAID's Office of
U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) stockpiles. Within two days of the earthquake, OFDA began to airlift commodities to assist
in the emergency relief effort. From October 10, 2005 through January 9, 2006, OFDA completed 25 airlifts of relief supplies,
including 97,725 blankets, 1,570 winterized tents, 15,000 water containers, and 8,050 rolls of plastic sheeting to winterize shelter
for nearly 40,000 families. USAID also deployed shelter specialists to work closely with the shelter cluster, an interagency working
group, and provide technical expertise to determine the most appropriate shelter interventions for earthquake-affected residents.
Even as the humanitarian community built temporary structures from tents and plastic sheeting, the DART shelter specialists met
regularly with the shelter cluster to consider the challenges of providing more stable and insulated transitional shelters for use
through the winter months and beyond. The DART developed a strategy to winterize transitional shelters at lower elevations and to
expedite shelter assistance to the high-altitude affected regions before winter conditions further hindered humanitarian access.
As the winter approached, OFDA's implementing partners provided shelter to more than 75,000 households, or an estimated 525,000
earthquake-affected residents. OFDA shelter programs range from small, community-integrated projects to larger, multi-sectoral
initiatives. In one village, an OFDA partner trained community members in earthquake-resistant construction and provided families
with shelter kits containing tools, high-quality corrugated galvanized iron (CGI) sheets, and a tin oven. These transitional shelters
can be expanded into rooms for new homes to be rebuilt in the spring. In another area, an OFDA partner is running a combined program
focused on shelter, health, and psychological and social needs. Through distribution of shelter material and cash-for-work training
of local carpenters, this project focuses on the immediate shelter needs of affected families, targeting widows and other female-headed
households in particular.
Throughout the response, the DART, together with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and U.N. agencies, worked to prioritize shelter
activities in preparation for the onset of winter in late November or early December when snow and rain might complicate shelter
construction. OFDA also coordinated closely with the U.S. Military to ensure that military assets were effectively used in the relief
effort. In early December, U.S. Department of Defense Disaster Assistance Center (DAC) staff successfully trained NGOs on procedures
for expediting the transport of relief materials and shelter supplies, substantially increasing the efficiency of commodity distribution.
In early January, the first winter storm tested the previous two months' shelter efforts. While some tents collapsed under the weight of
snow or became inundated with water, it quickly became clear that the majority of transitional shelters had successfully weathered the storm.
DART members encouraged implementing partners to fill gaps in winterization efforts, and when the second winter storm arrived two weeks later,
affected populations were even better prepared.
Months after the earthquake, an OFDA shelter expert remains on the ground to ensure that shelter efforts stay on track. As a result of
USAID assistance, tens of thousands of Pakistanis are benefiting daily from lifesaving shelter during the long winter months. OFDA partners
have worked with communities to construct winterized transitional shelters as well as prepare to rebuild homes using earthquake-resistant
techniques. The DART's role in funding and advocating for shelter efforts has ensured that earthquake-affected Pakistanis not only survive
the winter but also prepare for the future.
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