OCHA Situation Report No. 4
Afghanistan - Earthquake
27 March 2002


This report has been compiled on the basis of information provided by
UNOCHA and other humanitarian actors in Afghanistan, as well as media
reports.

Situation

1.  A series of earthquakes hit Baghlan province of Afghanistan in the
evening of 25 March and early morning 26 March 2002. The epicenter of the
earthquake was located southeast of Nahrin district in Baghlan province.
Further serious shocks took place on Wednesday 27 March. Geographical
areas affected include Nahrin, Burka and Jurgha. The estimated total
population in the affected area is the following: in Nahrin 13,800
families (82,916 persons), in Burka 9,673 families (58,040 persons), with
a total number of families in both locations amounting to approximately
23,500.

2.  According to local sources, there are estimates that almost all
villages in Nahrin district and in its vicinity have incurred serious
damage, with each village having reported one or more deaths. It is
estimated that approximately 15,000-20,000 families are affected and might
need some kind of assistance. The death toll reported in the morning of 26
March by local sources has not yet been confirmed, though families and
local community representatives have informed that a high number of dead
people (approximately 500) were buried by afternoon 26 March, while
another 250 were buried after the arrival of the first aid mission to the
location on that day. 160 people were reported injured, who subsequently
received emergency assistance from MSF/Belgium team that arrived at the
scene in the afternoon of 26 March.

3.  On 27 March, DFID carried out an aerial surveillance of the affected
area in a WFP helicopter. According to DFID, within a 15 km radius from
Nahrin, 90% of the houses were damaged with nearly 25% totally collapsed
and approximately 50% seriously damaged. In total, it is estimated that
1,500 buildings were damaged. It was further reported that road traffic
has been observed in both directions leading to Nahrin. Neither IDP
movements nor serious blockage of rivers were noticed during the
surveillance. There have not been reports on diseases outbreaks in the
affected area.

4.  No estimates could be confirmed for Jurgha and Burka locations, as
assessments will be made in those areas today.

5.  Displaced families have built makeshift shelters near their damaged
houses. Some families have left their houses out of fear for further
tremors that are indeed continuing in the affected area today. Two tremors
stroke the area earlier today with an intensity of 5.4 and 4.4 on the
Richter Scale respectively. National and International Response

6.  On Wednesday morning 27 March, the Chairman of the AIA, Mr. Hamid
Karzai, the Director of the Afghanistan Assistance Coordination Agency,
Mr. Ashraf Ghani, and the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary
General, Mr. Nigel Fisher, flew to the affected area. At the national
level, 8 commissions have been set up to work with international agencies.

7.  UNOCHA facilitated the fielding of a second team of aid workers to the
site that included UNOCHA, GOAL, UNICEF, WFP, IFRC, representatives from
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Public Health. This
mission was led by the Regional Coordination Officer/Mazar-i-Sharif and
arrived at the site at 11.30 p.m. (local time) on 26 March. Upon arrival,
a quick briefing was held with local aid workers and ISAF personnel, after
which a brief meeting was held with the Minister of Reconstruction, during
which it was decided that the team would start working on the operational
and logistical plan for information collection, especially in areas still
inaccessible, as well as the drawing up of assessment and distribution
plans. Four teams were established to start road assessments in the
morning of 27 March, followed by an air surveillance by WFP helicopters.

8.  Additional teams were dispatched by road and air in the morning of 27
March. The teams were sent to four main areas around Nahrin and would
communicate their assessment findings back to the communication and
information centre established in Nahrin. The teams would also assist in
planning the distribution of relief supplies.

9.  ISAF planes will undertake 6 flights today transporting emergency
relief items to Mazar-i-Sharif. From Mazar, the relief supplies will be
transported to the affected area by WFP helicopters.

10.  ICRC has set up a hospital in the disaster site which provides
emergency medical assistance to the victims.

11.  Another inter-agency emergency meeting was convened at 10 a.m. (local
time) in Kabul today, in which the current situation and action points
were discussed. The next emergency meeting is scheduled for 5.00 p.m.
(local time) today.

12.  OCHA-Geneva is in the process of deploying a 4-member UNDAC team to
the affected area. In addition, OCHA will be in a position to make
available an Emergency Grant with a total value of US$ 100,000 (US$ 50,000
OCHA Emergency Grant and US$ 50,000 Norwegian Emergency Grant managed by
OCHA) for priority needs identified on the ground.

13.  OCHA-Geneva will convene an Inter-Agency Coordination Meeting this
afternoon in Geneva to share information on the earthquake and coordinate
headquarter action.

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


Need for Additional International Assistance

15.  Whilst there is a tentative sense among humanitarian actors on the
ground that their collective efforts and in-country stocks will be
adequate to meet the most immediate priorities, additional international
assistance may be required. Details on specific items required will be
communicated as soon as the details of further assessments are available
and a full stock-taking of local resources has taken place. In addition,
donors and other concerned parties are requested to note the need for the
replenishment of pre-existing stocks meant for the ongoing humanitarian
crisis that are currently being deployed as part of the earthquake
response.

16.  OCHA is prepared to serve as a channel for cash contributions to be
used for immidiate relief assisstance, in coordination with relavent
organizations in the United Nations system. For banking details please
contact the desk officers indicated below. OCHA provides donor governments
with written confirmation and pertinent details concerning the utilization
of the funds contributed.

17.  This situation report, together with further information on ongoing
emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at
http://www.reliefweb.int. Maps relating to the earthquakes can be found on
the Website of the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) at
http://www.hic.org.pk. The Virtual OSOCC (accessible through the
ReliefWeb) also provides information on the earthquake and can be used for
information sharing.


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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