The overpowering earthquake in AJK (Azad Jammu and Kashmir) and Northern NWFP - the most severe in the history of Pakistan - has sent each one of us in a state of shock. The districts of Muzaffarabad, Bagh and Rawalakot in AJK; and Abbottabad, Mansehra and Batagram in NWFP have been the most badly affected. The death and destruction it has caused - 25,000 dead, 50,000 with an ever rising toll - is truly monumental and difficult to imagine for people who did not directly experience the earthquake. While we grieve at the tragic loss of life, the real test is for the survivors, who have to bear this loss and yet keep their spirits alive - first to survive with dignity and then to rebuild. Our heart goes out for the victims of this calamity and we resolve to help them - both from IUCN's platform and individually.

First of all, with a sense of relief we can announce that no IUCN staff has been injured in this catastrophe. There has been only a minor damage - to the boundary wall - of one of our field offices in Astore (Northern Areas). However, two of our staff, belonging to the affected areas, have their houses damaged, though thankfully members of their family are safe.

We have already received messages of solidarity from within the organization, especially from the Director General. The CR has circulated a comprehensive memorandum on the situation. Here are some of its key features on the way ahead:

1- Immediate Relief

	The challenges to IUCN and its staff are multi-faceted. The first priority is for the immediate relief including:
	Helping the affected staff (so far the news is good that all staff is safe and houses of only a couple of staff are damaged);
	Helping the affected people in the rural communities with whom IUCN is/has been working through MACP, PSNP pilot phase of MACP and ERNP etc;
	Extending help to the affected people in AJK where most of the damage has occurred

2- Damage Assessment and Strategic Plan

A rapid assessment of the situation and damage is required to come up with a strategically sound plan. The kind of information needed includes:

	i) Number and names of villages which have been affected the most in the MACP/PSNP/ERNP areas as well as in AJK;
	ii) Approximate number of households and persons affected in these villages;
	iii) Key infrastructure destroyed/damaged there;
	iv) Substantial environmental damage;
	v) Immediate needs for relief;
	vi) Generic or specific suggestions regarding rehabilitation of environment, especially in the short and medium term.

The following senior IUCN staff will be responsible (with support from others) for assessing and sending assessment reports urgently to respond to this emergency:

MKKS and AJK -	Gul Najam Jamy
NWFP -	Shuja ur Rehman
NAs -	Ghulam Amin Beg

3- Donations

All IUCN staff in Pakistan and Asia Region are expected to donate cash, medicines and goods. The medicines and goods will be collected in the Provincial/NA Offices of IUCNP by the respective Admin staff.

The relevant heads of offices are authorized to decide on distribution of locally donated cash and goods as well as what is provided by the country office or transferred from other offices to the affected staff in their jurisdictional area. After meeting the needs of affected staff (if any) the balance of cash and goods donated by staff and others will be handed over to Edhi Foundation, which is already involved in and doing a good job, for distribution to the affected people.

Regarding cash it has been decided, in consultation with the RD, to establish an “Earthquake Fund” and operate it transparently on the lines of “Tsunami Fund” established earlier this year by the Asia Region. All IUCNP staff are requested to donate one day salary.

4- IUCN Members

IUCN Secretariat has been in touch with the members in the wake of this disaster. The staff has been asked to work closely with IUCN Members and find out from them as well as close partners about the impact of earthquake and needs (if any). SUNGI, one of IUCN members, in particular, has been very active in the affected areas of NWFP and has good experience of disaster relief as well. It is known to be getting good relief support from some of the donors. Another member, Shirkatgah, has also been very active and plans to channel their relief through SUNGI. A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Pakistan National Committee of IUCN is scheduled for tomorrow and expected to come up with a more comprehensive response.