PRCS Profile
The Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) is a statutory body created by an act of Parliament. It is the leading national non-governmental humanitarian organization and its main activities consist of relief work during and after a conflict, disaster relief and auxiliary health and welfare services for the marginalized people. It works as an auxiliary to the government and has a broad range of integrated programs and projects. The Society responds quickly in case of disasters and has the motto: First to arrive at the site of disaster and last to leave. PRCS volunteers and staff provide first aid, evacuation of casualties; food and shelter along with other immediately required relief items.
PRCS Humanitarian Response
PRCS being the largest National Humanitarian Organization has been running numerous operations all over Pakistan. Following its motto of being the first to arrive, recently PRCS has been engaged in four significant operations. Their details are given below.
Hunza Landslide - Gilgit Baltistan (January 2010)
A massive landslide hit Hunza District on 4th January 2010, followed by boulders and rocks, sliding two villages including Atta Abad into the Hunza River. Due to this landslide, the District Administration also had to close a portion of Shahra-e-Karakorum between Hunza and Swat for all types of traffic and declare emergency in Hunza. Chinese engineers helped in removing the 263 feet high debris and boulders spread over about 4km stretch of the KKH.
The debris of the houses also fell down into the Hunza River, blocking its water flow. The affected families have been shifted to the Govt/Army camps established in schools and colleges in Karimabad, Hunza.
PRCS immediately responded and apart from helping the affected people in shifting and settling in, PRCS also distributed family packages to 300 Hunza Landslide affected families. One Family Packages contained the following:
Food Package: Atta= 40 kg, Ghee= 10 kg, Sugar = 10 kg, Dal = 3 kg, Tea = 1 kg and Salt = 1 kg
Non-Food Items: Jackets=7, Shawl=4, Quilts = 4 and Soap = 5 bars
Besides this, PRCS sent: wood burning stoves= 200, tents= 15, blankets= 91, tarpaulin sheets = 14, hygiene kits = 5, hurricane lamps = 15 and kerosene stoves = 15.
All of these items have been distributed in Hunza to the affected families.