With the rain letting up, the waters beginning to recede and the Jammu-Srinagar highway being opened up to vehicular traffic, the ICRC is stepping up its activities to support the Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) in its relief work in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K).
Yesterday, the Red Cross distributed 850 blankets and 90 solar lamps among affected people in Alochi Bagh, Darga and Anantnag. On Tuesday (16 September), the Red Cross delivered 1,000 blankets to the Bone and Joints Hospital in Srinagar and to other flood-affected people in the state. We also provided 50 mattresses to the hospital.
We are in regular contact with the IRCS and are in the process of procuring and delivering requested relief material to them. In coordination with the IRCS, we have so far sent 23,090 blankets, 280 solar lanterns, 200 body bags, 38 life jackets and an inflatable boat to the IRCS Jammu and Kashmir branch. Last week, we ordered 50,000 blankets, 50,000 chlorine sachets, 5,000 solar lanterns and 58 life jackets in consultation with the IRCS.
With flights flying at full capacity, many roads still damaged and the recently reopened Jammu-Srinagar highway choked with thousands of vehicles, it remains difficult to get relief material to Srinagar. We are trying to improve coordination with our Red Cross Movement Partners and iron out logistical issues in order to ensure the delivery of the relief material to the IRCS on the ground. We are also supporting the J&K branch of the IRCS in setting up a new office as their earlier office is badly damaged.
A joint assessment team of the IRCS, the ICRC and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) has completed its needs assessment of the affected population in Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri and Udhampur. The team has shared its assessment findings with the IRCS National Headquarters for further planning and action.
As informed in our blog post dated 12 September, ‘ICRC expresses solidarity with people of Jammu and Kashmir, ready to assist with relief material,’ we are in touch with the authorities and have offered our full support to the administration and the government.
For updates on the relief assistance provided by us, follow us on this blog and twitter @ICRC_nd.
For further information and to make donations, visit the following webpages:
IRCS Jammu and Kashmir branch website
IRCS Jammu and Kashmir branch Facebook page
ICRC New Delhi