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Tajikistan: Earthquake OCHA Situation Report No. 1

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2006/0141
OCHA Situation Report No.1
Tajikistan - Earthquake

This situation report is based on information provided to OCHA by the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan and media reports.

Situation

1. Tajikistan has been hit by two earthquakes, on the morning and afternoon of Saturday 29 July 2006. At 5 a.m., an earthquake of magnitude 5.3 on the Richter scale affected at least five settlements in Kumsangir District and Panj Jamoat (Dusti (the district centre), Villages no. 6 and no. 8, Sholikori, and Zamini Now) close to the Afghan border. Another quake (magnitude 5.4 on the Richter scale) stroke at 3:57 p.m. local time, the same day. The epicenter of this quake was 145 km South of the capital Dushanbe, and 55 km. East of Shartuuz.

Impact

2. So far, 3 people have been reported dead (a 6 year old boy, a 6 year girl, and a 9 year old girl), and 19 were injured.

3. According to the authorities, approximately 9,000 people have been directly affected by the quakes.

4. Large part of the Kumsangir district is cut off from electricity and a number of key social infrastructures have been destroyed. There is an acute shortage of housing and primary necessities.

5. Kumsangir district and parts of the Panj district of the southern Khatlon province were the worst hit, with the settlements of Dusti, Daminina, Dehai and Sholikori suffering the most.

National and Local Response

6. The Emergency Situations Ministry, which leads the Government's response on the ground, said its relief teams have erected more than 80 tents in the area and the Tajik Red Crescent Society has made another 40 available. The government also sent 30 metric tons of food and fuel supplies. Relief teams were also arranging for clean drinking water to be trucked in.

7. The Government of Tajikistan has requested assistance from the UN system and from the international community. Immediate needs identified by the Government for relief items include tents, equipment, food, clothing, blankets, mattresses, fuel and medication.

8. The Rapid Emergency Assessment and Coordination Team (REACT), which is the national disaster coordination mechanism for partnership, also with international responders, has been activated.

9. On the 29 July, a first assessment mission lead by the Minister for Emergency Situations with several partners, including UNDP staff and Red Crescent Society left for the disaster affected areas in Khatlon Province. Another joint assessment team including representatives of the UN Country Team (UNCT) and led by the Deputy Prime Minister will leave for the area on Tuesday 1 August in the morning.

International assistance

10. The United States Embassy in Tajikistan delivered relief supplies, on Monday 31 July, for more than USD 24,000, including medical supplies, blankets, beds, clothing and other household items.

11. OCHA is releasing an Emergency Grant for the amount of USD 20,000 at the Resident Coordinator's request in order to address emergency needs.

12. OCHA is establishing contact with the Humanitarian Coordinator in Kabul in order to gather more information on the effects of the quakes in Afghanistan.

13. OCHA remains in close contact with the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Tajikistan and will revert with further information as it becomes available.

14. This situation report, together with further information on other ongoing emergencies is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int

Map: Tajikistan: Earthquake - Location map

Tel. +41-22-917 1234
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers:

Ms. Isabel Garcia-Gill
E-mail: garcia-gill@un.org
Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1915

Press contact:

(GVA) - Ms. Vanessa Huguenin, Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1891
(N.Y.) - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Direct Tel. +1-917-892 1669

Disclaimer

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