February 18, 2006	Saturday	Muharram 19, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Feb 17: The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday said $24 million was urgently needed to maintain its helicopter ‘lifeline’ operation in Pakistan till the end of August to assist thousands of quake victims.

WFP is currently assisting 400,000 people in remote and cut- off areas who can only be reached by helicopter. The 20- helicopter airlift is now moving 300 metric tons of relief supplies every day, with a record breaking 415 metric tons delivered on 11 February.

“Since the earthquake struck in October, these helicopters have been crucial in transporting food and non-food items like medicine and warm clothing, and they have helped prevent many deaths,” said Amir Abdulla, WFP’s regional director for the Middle East, Central Asia and Eastern Europe. “However, winter is not yet over and hundreds of thousands of people still urgently need to be reached.”

WFP’s $24 million requirement is based on a thorough analysis of operational requirements for the last stages of winter and into early spring. WFP is currently operating 20 helicopters, however from March 1 till the end of May, the number will reduce to 12. From June to the end of August, the fleet will be further reduced to eight helicopters.

Road access is expected to remain limited for some time due to ongoing landslides. According to the International Landslide Centre/Landslide Observatory Open File Report, the snow melt could result in further landslides in March and April, with a second round of landslides during the July monsoon season. It could take several months to repair and open primary and secondary roads.

“If food and other essential items can no longer be airlifted into the mountain valleys, the earthquake survivors, who have no other means of subsistence, will be at further risk,” said Michael Jones, WFP’s country director in Pakistan. “Also affected will be those living in congested camps, reliant on external assistance, who may delay their return home. Their return to a normal life is tied to the country’s overall reconstruction effort,” he added.

The next harvest in the region will take place in June/July, however with a lack of seed and fertilizers, the produce is expected to be limited. The main harvest is in October.

“We need the helicopters to provide food, seeds, fertilizers and other equipment for reconstruction. We’ll be relying on pack animals, but there is an overall shortage of animals to transport the required amount of assistance. Thus the crucial need for supplemental air assistance,” Mr Jones stressed.

Since the beginning of the air operation, the WFP/United Nations Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) has airlifted more than 14,000 tons of food and 4,000 tons of non-food items such as tents and tools. This is in addition to transporting nearly 28,000 passengers, including bringing thousands of humanitarian workers to the affected zones, and evacuating some 6,000 sick and wounded to the nearest hospitals.

To overcome the logistical challenge posed by the post-quake situation, WFP/UNHAS deployed a fleet of 20 helicopters comprising 16 MI-8, two MI-26 and two KA32. So far, the WFP has received $56.4 million, but an additional $24 million is required to continue the relief effort with an increasingly reduced fleet.

“Donors have been extremely generous and we still need their support until we get past this crisis stage,” said Abdulla.

WFP plans to feed 600,000 people mainly through food-for- work, food-for-education schemes during the next two years. People who lack remittances and other family support will be provided food as they return to build their homes, community infrastructure and livelihood.

The countries which have given donations so far include Britain ($13.2 million), US ($8.5 million), Canada ($8.1 million), Norway ($7.8 million), European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department ($5.9 million), Denmark ($2.9 million), Japan ($2.5 million), Sweden ($2.4 million), the Netherlands ($2.2 million), Finland ($1.8 million), Switzerland ($940,000), Ireland ($207,000).