OCHA Situation Report No. 7
China: Earthquake
23 May 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

NOTE: This report is based on information received from the office of 
United Nations Resident Coordinator, the media as well as other partners.

Key Summary

- More than 3.3 million tents are urgently needed and have been requested 
by the Government of China to the international community.

- Donors are encouraged to report their contributions, including in-kind 
contributions, to OCHA's Financial Tracking System (FTS), 
http://ocha.unog.ch/fts2/.

Situation

1. On 12 May 2008 a major earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale 
struck Wenchuan County, Aba Prefecture some 92km northwest of Chengdu 
City, the capital of Sichuan Province. The earthquake took place at 14.48 
Beijing-time and tremors were felt as far as Wuhan, Shanghai and Beijing.

2. According to official statistics, the confirmed number of dead is 
51,151 people. An additional 288,431 people are injured and 28,328 people 
missing. An estimated 80 percent of the dead have been buried or cremated. 
The Government of China stated that more than 5.2 million people have been 
left homeless.

3. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 68,608 people have 
been hospitalized as stated by the Ministry of Health. Around 3,444 people 
have died in hospitals; 28,497 people discharged; and 33,665 people still 
being treated. 3,002 patients have been transferred outside of Sichuan 
Province for further treatment.

Environmental Situation

4. The Ministry for Environmental Protection (MEP) has reported that the 
air quality is normal compared to that before the earthquake. The quality 
of the surface water at the 71 sites that have been assessed meets 
national standards.

5. According to the Sichuan Provincial Construction Department stated that 
5,000 km pipes, 839 water tanks, and 1,281 water treatment works have been 
damaged, affecting 10.59 million people across the province. Professional 
repair teams have been dispatched to the affected areas.

6. Chinese media reports stated that the Bikou reservoir, China's largest 
earth-rock dam located in Qingchuan County (Guangyuan City, Sichuan 
Province) moved 30 cm due to the earthquake, and has become a potential 
threat to residents in the area. The water level in the quake caused lakes 
in Qushan town (Beichuan County) to rise as well as blocking a road along 
the river in the west of Qushan town.

7. Nuclear facilities and radioactive sources for civilian purposes in 
Sichuan Province have been confirmed safe and controllable after the 
quake, according to the Environmental Minister of China. Out of the 32 
radioactive sources which had been buried under debris caused by the 
earthquake, 30 have been recovered by authorities so far. The locations of 
the remaining two radioactive sources are reported to have been detected 
and the materials concerned are to be transported to safe areas shortly.

Attachments:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=B17F4F49A0E0C94C4925745200027DF1&file=Full_Report.pdf

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Appropriate Donations for International Disaster/Humanitarian Needs
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Center for International              web: www.cidi.org
.  Disaster Information          listserv: www.cidi.org/listsub.htm
.                              guidelines: www.cidi.org/donate.htm
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -