OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Georgia - Earthquake
2 May 2002


Background

1.  An earthquake measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale occurred in the
Tbilisi area, the capital of Georgia, on Thursday 25 April. According to
the Georgian Geophysical Institute, the epicenter of the earthquake was in
Tbilisi, in the Nadzaladevi district. Tbilisi has been hit several times
since then with smaller tremors.  As a result of the earthquake on 25
April, 5 persons are reported dead and 52 persons have applied for medical
assistance as of 30 April. Current Situation

2.  The extent and scale of damage to buildings has been very substantial,
especially in the older parts of the city. Relocation of people is based
on the ongoing assessment of damages.  So far, approximately 2,230 houses
(of 6,000 which may have been damaged) have been assessed by experts and
categorized according to the degree of damage occurred:

- 464 houses are severely damaged (category III damage) and families
  residing there need urgent relocation.
- Approximately 1,150 houses have sustained category II damage, meaning
  significant structural repairs.
- 606 houses have sustained Category I damage (minor repairs).


3.  There has also been significant damage to public infrastructure and
buildings in Tbilisi, including several schools, hospitals, governmental
buildings and cultural monuments.  A total of 120 schools are reported as
damaged with at least 30 that cannot be used (category III).  Forty-eight
hospitals and polyclinics are also damaged, with 10 falling under category
III, including the Tuberculosis Institute, City Hospital No.1, Clinical
Hospital No.4, the Parasitology Institute and others.  These schools and
hospitals will be among the Government's priority emergency and
rehabilitation needs.


National and International Response

4.  The Government requested the international assistance on 29 April
highlighting the need for food, medical supplies, non-food relief items
and technical construction equipment. The Government is preparing a more
definitive listing of damage/impact and required assistance, to be
disseminated later this week in a formal appeal.

5.  The identified remaining emergency needs are primarily for those
persons displaced by the earthquake.  It appears that these can mostly be
met by resources already in-country.  In this regard, on 30 April, the
Georgia UN Disaster Management Team (DMT) assessed the four field sites
where 362 families (approximately 1,120 people) have been located in order
to identify any remaining gaps in assistance. DMT members included World
Vision, Save the Children, United Methodists Committee on Relief (UMCOR),
UNHCR, WFP, UNDP, UNICEF, OCHA and Counterpart International.

6.  The following gaps were identified and prioritized: blankets/clothes,
hygienic kits, latrines/showers, community mobilization, psycho-social
assistance. As a follow-up to site visits, Counterpart International will
partially cover gaps in shelter (i.e. provide tents for living and for
kitchens) and WFP will provide 10-day food rations. UNICEF/UNHCR will
provide kitchen utensils. Blankets/quilts will be provided by UNHCR.
Clothes will be supplied by World Vision and Counterpart International.
UNICEF/ICRC will provide hygienic kits.

7.  OCHA will release a US$ 30,000 Emergency Grant (from its own resources
and a Norwegian contribution) to address the most urgent needs of the
affected population.

8.  OCHA is in close contact with the United Nations Office in Georgia and
will revert with further information, as it becomes available.

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


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. Dusan Zupka / Mr. Anvar Munavvarov
  Direct Tel. +41-22-917 1645/1669

Press contact:
  (GVA)  Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 56
  (NYC)    Tullio Santini, direct Tel. +1-212-963 0470


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