OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Kyrgyzstan: Earthquake
7 October 2008


Source:
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

HIGHLIGHTS

- An earthquake of magnitude 6.6 on Richter scale occurred in the South of
Kyrgyzstan on 5 October 2008, in the mountainous region at the border with
Tajikistan and China. Access to the affected areas is difficult as the
main access road has been cut.

- Assessments are still on-going in the affected areas. Reports are
available for one of the village which has been almost completely
destroyed. The affected region has a total population of approximately
100,000 inhabitants located in 80 villages. The total number of identified
affected individuals is likely to increase in the coming days.

- The Government of Kyrgyzstan is assessing the situation and providing
assistance with the support of the humanitarian community present in the
country. So far, needs have been identified in shelter, food, health and
NFIs sectors.

SITUATION

1. On 5 October 2008 at 10:00 pm local time (+6 GMT) an earthquake of
magnitude 6.6 on Richter scale occurred in the South of Kyrgyzstan
(39.515=B0N, 73.768=B0E), at the border with Tajikistan and China. The same
area was subsequently hit by aftershocks of magnitude 5.1 and 4.6. All
tremors were between 27 and 35 kilometres deep.

2. The worst affected areas are located in Chon-Alai and Alai regions,
approximately 220 kilometers from the main city of Osh. Chon-Alai has a
total population of 21,800 in 17 settlements and Alai has 72,600
inhabitants in 57 settlements. The areas are at high altitude and sparsely
populated. The main road to access the area has been importantly damaged
by the tremor, limiting access to the affected populations.

3. Limited access and communication with the affected areas is hampering
assessments and relief operations. It is likely that over the next few
days, with more information available, the number of people in need of
assistance will grow.

4. Currently, data on the impact of the earthquake is only available for
Nura village, which has been badly affected. According to preliminary data
provided by the Ministry of Emergencies of Kyrgyzstan, 60 people were
killed in this village alone and another 60 people need urgent evacuation
and medical aid. 70% of the entire infrastructure in the village has been
completely destroyed. Assessments are on-going in other settlements,
including Bordar village, which is feared to be strongly affected.

5. Tajikistan has thus far not reported any injuries or damage.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

6. The Ministry of Emergencies is assessing casualties, damages and needs
in the surrounding villages in the affected Rayons (administrative
entities). It is expected that over the coming days the number of affected
individuals will increase.

7. The Ministry of Emergencies, which has its main headquarters in Osh,
has set-up an on-site operations centre and has dispatched search and
rescue workers to the affected area. Three helicopters are being used to
help with the evacuation of the wounded. Some 38 people have been lifted
to nearby hospitals.

8. As an initial response, the Ministry is planning to set up a tented
camp for 600 displaced families. If the assessments indicate larger
damage, this response may be adjusted accordingly.

9. The Ministry has released 80 winterized tents and 100 heaters it has
been able to recollect after the earthquake response in January 2008 in
Osh. In addition, the Ministry has distributed 600 liters of bottled
water, 700 items of warm clothing and 250 blankets.

10. The Ministry of Health has dispatched 4 ambulance brigades of Alay
Territorial Hospital (TH) consisting of 8 physicians and 10 nurses and an
additional 3 ambulance brigades from Osh city. Health Facilities in
Sary-Tash, Alay and Osh have been prepared to receive the wounded.

11. The Ministry of Health is planning to deploy a Field Hospital in
Sary-Tash village, where teams consisting of different specialists
(surgeons, intensive care doctors, pediatricians etc.) from Bishkek and
Osh cities will provide health services for the affected populations.

12. So far there is no shortage of medicines and blood components.
Surgical kits, oxygen concentrators, as well as Emergency Health Kits
provided by WHO (stockpiled in Osh Joint Hospital Warehouse) have been
supplied.

INTERNATIONAL RESPONSE

13. Russian EMERCOM is planning to airlift relief items (143 winterized
tents, 2000 blankets, heaters and food) to the city of Osh by EMERCOM
IL-76 cargo aircraft on 7 October;

14. The Red Crescent Society of Kyrgyzstan has made USD 15,000 available
for the local purchase of food items;

15. UNHCR is collecting 400 mattresses and 1,500 blankets from its
warehouse in Osh for dispatch to the disaster site on 7 October.

COORDINATION

16. An Inter-Ministerial Committee on Emergencies Meeting was convened
with all stakeholders on 6 October to coordinate the response to the
crisis. Five representatives from the international community (the Red
Crescent, a donor representative, the UN Resident Coordinator, an NGO
representative and OCHA) are members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on
Emergencies.

17. The Committee is supported by the Disaster Response Coordination Unit
(DRCU), which provides secretarial services to humanitarian sector/cluster
groups and regional (sub-national) "REACT" teams (Rapid Emergency
Assessment and Coordination Teams), comprising of national and
international disaster response partners.

18. The Southern REACT Team of organizations based in Osh (UNDP, Red
Crescent and ACTED), has gone to the disaster site to support assessment
and local coordination.

19. The OCHA office in Almaty has dispatched a Humanitarian Affairs
Officer.

Attachments:
http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/retrieveattachments?openagent&docid=A5A1D98BE2509395492574DB00038373&file=Full_Report.pdf

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