OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Afghanistan - Earthquake
26 March 2002


This situation report is based on media reports and initial information
provided by UNOCHA - Kabul.

Situation

1.  A series of earthquakes, with the strongest one measuring 6.0 on the
Richter Scale, hit Afghanistan in the evening of 25 March and early
morning 26 March 2002. The epicenter of the earthquake was in Nahrin
district, Baghlan province. According to initial reports, the town of
Nahrin has been seriously affected with almost 90% of the town destroyed.
The office of the French NGO ACTED in Nahrin was among the buildings that
collapsed as a result of the earthquakes. According to the estimates of
the Afghanistan Interim Authority (AIA), the number of dead is
approximately 1,800 with 1,200 bodies counted so far, nearly 4,000 people
were injured, approximately 1,500 homes were destroyed and 20,000 people
were left without shelter.


International and National Response

2.  An assessment team comprising ISAF, UNOCHA, WHO and DFID flew from
Kabul to the disaster scene in a helicopter provided by ISAF. The team is
expected back at 08.00 p.m. (local time). Upon return of the assessment
team, another emergency meeting will be convened in Kabul, which will be
attended by the Chairman of the AIA, Mr. Karzai.

3.  In Nahrin, a coordination center comprising four key partners
(Ministry of Reconstruction, UNOCHA, ACTED and ISAF) will be established
in conjunction with the local authorities.  DFID has offered its support
in terms of practicalities and the actual physical set up of the center.

4.  The AIA has also dispatched an assessment team which is currently on
its way to the affected area. An assessment team comprising UNOCHA, IOM,
UNHCR, ICRC, ACTED and MSF was also dispatched to the area from
Mazar-i-Sharif, and is expected to reach the disaster site later today.

5.  A meeting was convened in Kabul earlier today at the UN Coordinator's
Office to assess the situation and compile an inventory of available
supplies. UN agencies, ACTED, Halo Trust, ICRC and IOM attended the
meeting.

6.  OCHA-Geneva has made preparatory arrangements to deploy an UNDAC team
and its dispatch will be decided upon later today, when more information
is expected, and after further discussions with colleagues in Kabul.

7.  OCHA is in close contact with UNOCHA Offices in Afghanistan and will
revert with further information, as it becomes available.

8.  This situation report, together with further information on ongoing
emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int. A map showing the sites of the two earthquakes
can be found on the Website of the Afghanistan Information Management
Service (AIMS) at http://www.hic.org.pk.


Telephone: +41-22-91712 34
Fax: +41-22-917 00 23
E-mail: ochagva@un.org

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

Desk Officers:
  Mr. Ivo Freijsen, Mr. Anvar Munavvarov
  Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1695/1669

Press contact:
  (GVA)  Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 56
  (NYC)  Ms. Phyllis Lee, direct Tel. +1-212-963 48 32


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