By NNN-APP
Lahore : The Asian Development Bank and the World Bank have begun a joint damage and needs assessment in the areas of Sindh and Balochistan provinces of Pakistan which were affected by recent cyclone Yemyin and floods.
According to a news release issued on Tuesday, data collection experts would travel to Quetta and Karachi on Wednesday (July 25) to begin a 14-day field assessment of the 16 most affected districts in Balochistan and Sindh provinces where an estimated 371,000 people are feared to have lost their homes and 2.5 million people have been affected.
The teams will gather data under 14 sectors including governance, economic assistance, housing, livelihoods, water and sanitation, energy, agriculture and irrigation, health, education, social protection, environment, private sector and industries as well as hazards management, climate change and flood management.
“ We are looking at the long-term reconstruction and rehabilitation needs,� said Peter Fedon, the Director of ADB’s Pakistan Resident Mission.
“ Devastation caused by the floods and cyclone Yemyin illuminate the fact that the disaster preparedness has become very important issue for Pakistan,� he stated.
The data will be compiled into a report for the Government of Pakistan on reconstruction and rehabilitation needs.
“ An efficient and timely damage and needs assessment provides a sound basis for the government to reach out to the affected communities for rebuilding their lives,� said Said Al-Habsy, the World Bank’s Acting Country Director for Pakistan.
“ We realized that the reconstruction should take into account the possibility of similar natural disasters in the future, hence building back better is very important.�
The ADB and World Bank will use the same methodology they employed for their joint 2005 Pakistan Earthquake damage and needs assessment.