Action by Churches Together (ACT)
Alert - Afghanistan 01/2002
Earthquake in Afghanistan
Geneva, 28 March, 2002


A series of earthquakes hit Baghlan province in Northern Afghanistan. The
initial quakes flattened the market town of Nahrin and surrounding
villages. According to earlier information from government sources in
Kabul the quakes hit with a force of 6.0 respectively 5.0 on the Richter
Scale injuring 4,000 people and leaving about 20,000 homeless. The death
toll is not clear, as figures being quoted range from 1,000 to 3,000
people. Fears have however been expressed that the death toll may be
higher. According to the United Nations, the relief operation is a
"logistical nightmare" because the mountainous area in Baghlan province is
very remote and difficult to access.


ACT members are monitoring the situation and already responding to the
needs of the victims.

ACT member Church World Service (CWS)  Pakistan/Afghanistan has sent 7,000
quilts from Quetta in Pakistan, close to the border to Afghanistan, to the
affected area. There they will, with the help of staff from CWS partner
Shuhada, distribute the quilts to those displaced by the earthquake.


ACT member Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) has delivered 3,422 tents, 2,500
jerry cans, 1,300 blankets and 4,500 quilts to the airport in Kabul, but
because of the lack of aircrafts the items now have to be transported by
road. NCA further reports that four of their local Afghan partners, CoAR,
ADA, AREA, NPO/RRAA * have sent a joint team to the area and are now
co-ordinating their response and resources with each other as well as
NCA/ACT. Radio communication has also been established.

ACT member Diakonie Emergency Aid (DEA) is preparing to re-direct relief
goods such as clothes and food to the earthquake area.

The ACT Co-ordinating Office is in contact with the different ACT members
on the ground.

Thank you for your attention.

For further information please contact:

ACT Director, Thor-Arne Prois (phone ++41 22 791 6032 or mobile phone ++
41 79 203 6055)
or
ACT Appeals Officer, Mieke Weeda (phone ++41 22 791 6035 or mobile phone
++ 41 79 285 2916)


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Action by Churches Together (ACT) is a worldwide alliance of churches and
their related agencies, meeting human need through co-ordinated emergency
response.  The ACT Coordinating Office is based with the World Council of
Churches (WCC) and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Switzerland.
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   Ecumenical Centre                          Phone: ++41-22-791.60.33
   150, route de Ferney                         Fax: ++41-22-791.65.06
   P.O. Box 2100                             E-Mail: act@wcc-coe.org
   1211 Geneva 2                              Telex: 415 730 OIK CH
   Switzerland                                 http://www.act-intl.org


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