Afghanistan: Earthquake - OCHA-04: 25-Feb-99
Afghanistan - Earthquake
OCHA Situation Report No. 4
25 February 1999
Situation
1. On 11 February 1999, an earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale
struck Wardak and Logar provinces, south of Kabul, damaging rural homes
and infrastructure over a wide area. The affected districts in Wardak
include Maidan Shar, Nirkh, Sayedabad, while those in Logar are Baraki
Barak, Pul-e-Alam and Mohammad Agha. The estimated population of both
provinces is 400,000 people.
2. It was difficult to assess the extent of the damage immediately, given
the dispersed nature of the settlements and the adverse weather
conditions. Fortunately, initial earth tremors preceded the main
earthquake, alerting families to quickly vacate their homes. As a result,
casualties were limited to approximately 70 dead and 500 injured. Some
18,600 families have been affected by the earthquake, of which 6,255
households are in Category A (more than 80 percent destroyed) and 12,037
in Category B (between 50 and 80 percent destroyed). As elsewhere in
Afghanistan, traditional massive buildings proved vulnerable to seismic
movement, although the extent of destruction varied widely within the
affected area. Levels of damage in Wardak were generally higher than in
Logar province.
3. Currently, a total of 672 villages have been visited by IFRCS/ARCS and
other survey teams, indicating that some 16,000 families need relief
assistance, again primarily temporary shelter. Elsewhere, families have
had to camp out in freezing conditions, afraid of moving back into damaged
homes. Many have moved in with relatives, where possible, while others
have left the area altogether.
4. Based on consultations made with organizations actively involved in
the relief effort, UNICEF reported that the health situation in the
affected area was under control. Available data suggest that increases in
Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) or related illnesses are insignificant.
Improved weather conditions in the past days may help reduce this
incidence among the homeless families.
Needs
5. The primary need continues to be for temporary shelter materials for
those who are still camped outside of their damaged or destroyed homes.
While some shelter stocks are now in Kabul, with other items in the
pipeline, there still exists a significant shortfall of the following
items:
a) 10,000 shelter units (tent and/or tarpaulins)
b) 40,000 blankets
c) 60,000 square meters of plastic sheeting.
Other items in the agreed relief package for families include jerry cans,
candles, soap and detergent, which will be purchased locally from
available funds.
International Response
6. Coordination meetings now take place alternately at the UNOCHA and
IFRC offices. A UN liaison staff member is now based in Maidan, who is in
charge of arranging logistical and distribution issues in the field.
7. Initial efforts by the Red Cross Movement and NGO's to provide relief
supplies from Kabul focused on those areas which were immediately
accessible, and for which information was available. In this first stage
of the relief effort, it was reported that some 5,500 families received
some form of assistance, in two out of the seven affected districts.
8. In addition to supplies that were contributed to the joint effort
during the early stages, the UN responded to reports from the Red Cross
Movement in Kabul about additional needs for temporary shelter and
blankets. These estimates were based on reports from IFRCS/ARCS survey
teams who were gradually able to reach the dispersed villages and assess
the impact.
9. OCHA is prepared to serve as channel for cash contributions to be used
for immediate relief assistance, in coordination/consultation with
relevant organizations in the United Nations system. Funds should be
transferred to OCHA account No. CO-590.160.1, Swift code: SBCOCHGG12A at
the UBS AG, P.O. Box 2770, CH-1211 Geneva 2, with reference: OCHA
-Afghanistan - Earthquake. OCHA provides donors with written confirmation
and pertinent details concerning the utilization of the funds contributed.
10. Donors are requested to inform OCHA Geneva, as indicated below, on
relief missions /pledges/contributions and their corresponding values by
item.
11. This situation report and further information on ongoing emergencies
are also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int
Telephone number: +41-22-917 12 34
In case of emergency: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10
Desk Officers: Ms. S. Metzner-Strack/Mr. R. Mueller/Ms. M. Kondo, OCHA
Disaster Response
Branch, direct Tel. +41-22-917-2144 / 3131 / 1997
Press contact: Ms. E. Ponomareva, direct Tel. +41-22-917 23 36
Telex: 414242 OCHA CH
Fax: +41-22-9187 00 23
E-mail: info@dha.unicc.org
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