UNJLC Pakistan Earthquake
BULLETIN No. 28
Period, Thursday December 29th - Wednesday, January 4th, 2006

Summary and Highlights
Days since October 8th Earthquake: 88

• Bad weather has seriously affected road and air transport conditions over the last few days. The majority of roads have been reopened and helicopters are now flying again, however the forecast for the coming weekend may predict further blockages.
• The Eid Al-Adha holiday will take place on the 10 of January. This may affect relief cargo transport.
• Foreign relief workers entering the country are required to obtain a visa as of January 1st, 2006. 
  

Contents
 
1.    LSS
2.    Road Access
3.    Eid Al-Adha
4.    Visa Requirements
5.    US Military Relief Operation
6.    Helicopter Updates

1. LSS

The first Logistics Support System (LSS) draft pipeline report will be released on Thursday January 5th. (bulletin 27, item 4) UNJLC alongside its partners WHO and LSS officers have entered all the data for 2005 orders placed for 20 key NFI items and the in-country stock of those items. Agencies, IOs and NGOs are being asked to check the figures and report any discrepancies to UNJLC. This information will serve to gain visibility over the NFI pipeline for the relief effort.

2. Road Access

A spate of bad weather has severely restricted road access in the affected area over the last few days. As of January 4th the majority of roads have reopened due to road clearing efforts and an improvement in the weather. However, snow, ice and the remains of landslides are still slowing traffic conditions along many routes.

Among the roads that remain closed are those of the Upper and Lower Neelum Valley, the routes around Bana, and those of Pares to Khagan, Bagh to Lasdana and Bagh to Garhi Dopatta. The route from Dhirkot to Murree is reported to be passable but still in bad condition. The Jehlum valley road is now open as far as Chinari. Mansehra is facing fewer difficulties but many of the roads around Batagram, while now open, are proving slow and drivers are warned to proceed with caution. Snow chains are recommended for all road travel and certain areas are now only accessible to 4WD vehicles.

The weather over the next few days will bring severely cold night temperatures with some precipitation. Road conditions are expected to be a substantial cause of concern through the next two winter months and solifluction (the freezing and thawing of the ground) is likely to exacerbate landslides. UNJLC is posting daily road updates and corresponding maps on its website and will continue to do so during all periods of inclement weather. Road updates can also be found on the Pakistan Federal Relief Commission (FRC) site at www.earthquakepakistan.com.

3. Eid Al-Adha

The Muslim holiday of Eid Al-Adha will take place on and around the 10th of January. Agencies and NGOs trying to move cargo during this period should anticipate a notable reduction in available capacity due to local trucking companies and labourers taking this time off. A request will be made to the Pakistan Military for additional manpower in case the reduced workforce results in bottlenecks for the delivery of humanitarian supplies. UNHAS is aware of the situation and is standing by to cover any excess requirements if they are approached in advance by agencies and NGOs needing this service.

4. Visa Requirements

As mentioned in Bulletin 26, item 2, the Federal Relief Commission (FRC) has reviewed the policy of allowing foreign relief workers to obtain a landing permit at the airport. It is advised that as of January 1st, 2006, all individuals and foreign NGOs should to obtain a proper visa before entering the country.

5. US Military Update

The US Military relief effort in the earthquake affected areas is ongoing. Two hospitals are still in service, the 212 MASH based in Muzaffarabad and the CMRT3 in Shinkirai. Of the initial 29 helicopters brought in, 4 S-70's and 12 Chinooks remain in operation. The Chinooks are currently being used to fly sling loads of relief goods out of Muzaffarabad into otherwise inaccessible areas at the rate of 100 tonnes a day. The US Military is also assisting the Pakistan government in assessing the affected areas and collating information on relief needs. 40 of the original 120 Military engineers deployed in the mission have been retained to continue helping in the construction of shelters for earthquake-struck villages. The US Military is also loaning 50 sling nets to UNHAS alongside the expertise of their Marine Helicopter Support Team (HST) to help train the UN loaders. These combined operations are expected to continue until their planned withdrawal on or around March 31st.

6. Aviation Update

The relief operation's air capacity has remained stable over this last week. (see bulletin 27, item 6) UNHAS has plans to bring in two Mi8's, which will be the final aircraft deployed within its humanitarian relief mission. Helicopters were grounded for the 1st and 2nd of January due to weather conditions, but as of January 4th flights were back to normal. The backlog of passenger flights should be cleared shortly and UNHAS are trying to ensure some available seats over the coming days. Currently UNHAS has sufficient capacity to meet all requests for cargo movement, however a substantial amount of cargo is expected shortly. Those in need of NFI (Non Food Item) transport should transmit their requirements through the cargo request form (available on the UNJLC website) as soon as possible.

UNJLC cargo movement figures as of January 3rd, 2006.