News

TSF supports UN disaster co-ordination centre in Pakistan

23-08-2010 - Flood victims in Pakistan are receiving essential support from humanitarian relief agencies using emergency communications provided by Télécoms Sans Frontières (TSF).

The United Nations (UN) says the flooding in Pakistan extends across an area the size of Austria, Switzerland and Belgium combined and affects at least 20 million people.

The floods have claimed the lives of about 1,600 so far, with more at risk as water-borne diseases spread and the floodwaters continue to rise.

Co-ordination centre

In Multan district in Punjab province, Inmarsat-sponsored TSF is providing information and communications technology (ITC) support at the UN's emergency co-ordination centre, where the agency's disaster and assessment co-ordination teams and various non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are based.

TSF is also supporting the local NGO Youth Resource Centre (YRC) in the north-west frontier province of Khyber Pakhtunkwa. Here Inmarsat Mini M and GSM mobile phones provided by TSF are being used to provide humanitarian calling for the local population trying to contact friends and relatives.

President of TSF, Jean-François Cazenave, said: "We've deployed one member of our team to Multan to provide ICT support for the UN - many of them are using BGAN to communicate. This assignment should last for about one week.

Calls for assistance

"In Khyber Pakhtunkwa we are supporting YRC teams who are being deployed in Peshawar, Charsadda and Nowshera until the needs in these districts are covered.

"This support could last for up to a month, giving as many families as possible the chance to make calls and ask for assistance."

www.tsfi.org

Back to previous page.