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Devastating floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

FLOOD DAMAGE & NEED ASSESSMENT
UC AGRA – DISTRICT CHARSADDA, KPK

JUST PEACE INTERNATIONAL (JPI)                                                                                     Date: 30th July, 2010
Assessed Villages:

1. Village           Sheikh kalay
2. Village           Agra Bala
3. Village           Agra Maina
4. Village           Agra Payyan
5. Village           Gulshanabad

Reported by:

Background
Heavy rains in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and other parts of Pakistan including FATA and AJK in the past few days have caused flash floods in several parts of the country resulting in a loss of life and widespread displacement in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Thousands of people have lost their homes and dears. The infrastructure in major has been destroyed or seriously damaged. The crops, livelihood and livestock are destroyed.
In KPK the most affected districts are Charsadda, Peshawar, Nowshera, Swat, Lower Dir, Kohistan, Shangla, Around 40 bridges have been washed away by flood. At the end of the day (30th July 2010) Government of KPK declared 400 deaths and thousands of injuries. The rescue and search operations are in process but not sufficient as thousands of people in mentioned districts are still waiting for help even after third day of flood.
Just Peace International (JPI) carried out a Rapid Damage & Need Assessment in 5 villages including sheikh kalay, Agra Bala, Agra Maina, Agra Payaan and Gulshan abad of Union Council Kuz Agra of District Charsadda. UC Kuz Agra is located on main Charsadda – Peshawar road at the left bank of Sardaryab River. Five villages of the UC were assessed. The over all situation of the infrastructure is 80% destroyed. People living in these villages are poor and living in mud houses. The people are both daily wedge labours and some are relining on cattle. The overall situation observed was 70% houses are destroyed. 80% of cattle are drawn in flood, 3 deaths occurred and 30 people injured.
Men population with some children and women is still staying there while majority of children and women are displaced to safe homes of relatives, some have approached to the camp established in Government High School No.1 Peshawar, while other are refuge in Hujras and Mosques. No shelter, food and water for drinking available in assessed villages. Electricity is cut off in area. The main sources of water for drinking and cooking were dug well, which have been filled with mud and flood water. Even majority of population have not drunk water in whole day.

Assessment Objective

1. To assess the damages occurred by flood in target area.
2. To examine the most critical needs of Flood affectees  in order to provide immediate assistance.

Assessment Methodology
Two teams comprising of three assessment experts in each team were assigned to assess the 5 villages of UC Kuz Agra of District Charsadda, a questionnaire was developed covering both damage information and needs of the affectees. Though few questions were left open ended to cover the gaps if faces. Every mohallah (street) of target villages was visited which was accessible. Meetings with affected communities, Ex-Nazims, community elders and religious leaders were held. Two focused group discussions were organized and other random community meetings were held to identify the needs of affectees.
Basic Information of the Assessed Villages

Family size and House Hold (HH) Composition
The average family size is 5 to 6 individual per family. The families are living in joint family system. It was observed that in one House Hold 2 to 3 families are living together.

1. House Hold Damages/Shelter
The finding of the assessment indicates damages as follow;

Agra Bala
Among 250 houses, 70% of houses are completely destroyed with damaging all utility items. 18% of houses are partially damaged while 12% are likely able to be lived in them.

Agra Miana
Among 400 houses, 80% are completely destroyed while 15% are partially damaged and 5% are not affected. 2 to 3 feet water still exist in 50% area of the village.

Agra Payyan
The whole village is drawn in water, up to 4 to 7 feet water still exist in village. As per initial information 60% houses are totally damaged. All the population has displaced to near by safe areas and women & children are displaced to safe places earlier as early warning was given to the village. Two deaths occurred and 17 injured due to flood.

Sheikh Kalay
Among 1500 houses, 55% houses are completely destroyed while 20% are partially damaged while the remaining 25% are not affected dangerously.

Gulshanabad
The village is located on the bank of River Sardaryab and is still under flood. The team could not access the village, but met the people of the village displaced to Agra bala. According to them, the village is completely destroyed and due to existence of water a clear picture can not be sketched. But a rough estimate is that 80% of the Houses are completely damaged.

2. Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH)

Findings of survey reveal that Safe water for drinking is lacking in area. 80% of the population of target is using water from open dug wells for drinking and cooking. While 20% have hand pumps and Community Tube well water supply scheme.
In Argra Maina, and Gulshanabad majority of people did not drink water during whole day due to unavailability of clean water. In village Agra bala only 2 dug wells remained safe from flood water while in Agra Maina and Sheikh Kalay 3 dug wells remained safe in each village. The PHED water supply scheme located in Agra Maina is non functional due to lack of electricity and affected from flood water. The community is at high risk to use contaminated water which may cause serious water born diseases especially in vulnerable groups like aged people, women and children.

In sanitation, before flood only 60% people were using latrine for defecation while the rest of 40% used open fields. With damage of houses, sanitations facilities like latrines are completely destroyed and the population have no option except open defecation.
Before flood, the drainage systems in the target areas were not ideal and the flood contributed to make them worst. All the drainage systems have completely destroyed and full of mud.
Due to lack of safe water for drinking and sanitation facilities, the hygienic condition of the area is vulnerable. As per discussion with communities and finding of FGDs it was observed that in all targeted 5 villages people are affected with scabies and diarrhea. Beside this, the main source of income of the people depends on cattle, in every house and street Animal excreta was found.

3.Food

In Peshawar valley, people living in villages use to store stock of grains (wheat, maize and rice) for whole year. The same is practiced in target area. All the food stock has been washed by flood or mixed with mud. The flood has destroyed all vegetable in fields. The local community from near by villages and some influential of area are providing cooked food to them. The affectees are waiting for humanitarian agencies to provide them food.

4. Non Food Items (NFIs)

Due to huge damages to houses, the non food items like beds, utensils, water containers, are either washed by flood water or broken or buried under debris. As per assessment only 30% of house holds have beds, utensils, and water containers while lacking blankets and mats etc as damaged by water. The rest 70% of affectees have no NFIs and is dire need of them.

5.Livelihood/Live stock

The assessment highlights that the main source of income of the affected communities was dependent on Live stock. Buffaloes, Cows, goats and poultry were the main live stock cattled by community. As per information collected from community and observation of assessment team overall 65% of love stock has been drawn in water or buried in destroyed houses. The rest was shifted to safe placed but lack of cattle food is a big issue.
The flood has seriously damaged all standing crops including maize, sugar cane and ready crop of tobacco. The vegetable and other livelihood are serious destroyed.

6. Health
Two health facilities are available in target villages, A Basic Health Unit (BHU) in Sheikh Kalay and Dispensary in Agra Payyan. The BHU has got partial damages while the dispensary is completely drawn under water. In present there is no medical facility in area. Due to stagnant water, contaminated water for drinking, and unhygienic conditions of area, the affectees are at high risk to serious water and sanitation born diseases.   

Recommendations for Interventions

1. The shelter less affectees demanded for immediate shelters (tents). At least 2500 tents are required to fulfill the need.
2. Food, on immediate basis cooked food is required while later on food packages (covering at least 1 month period)  are required for distribution. At least 4300 Food packages (1 package per family) is required
3.  Safe water for drinking is immediate need; Aqua tabs are required for purification of water. Water tankers can be used for provision of safe water for drinking. The PHED WSS needs minor repair to functionalize.
4. Provision of VIP latrines as per SPHERE standards is required. The drainage systems will need to be cleaned from mud and repair.
5. NFIs is the dire need, Beds, Blankets, Mosquito Nets, Kitchen Utensils, Hygiene Kits are required to be distributed among affectees as per SPHERE standards. At least 4300 NFIs packages will be required to facilitate the target population.
6. Food for cattle is also required immediately.
7. Medical Camp is required to establish in the area or Mobile Medical Team should visit the area regularly.

Reported by:
Muhammad Ishaq Israr
Programme Officer – Emergency Response

Just Peace International (JPI)
University Town, Peshawar
Tel# +92 -91- 5703786
Email: justpeacemail@gmail.com
URL: www.justpeaceint.org

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