Afghanistan - Earthquake OCHA Situation Report No. 2

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2002/0071
OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Afghanistan - Earthquake
26 March 2002

This situation report is based on media reports and initial information provided by UNOCHA -Kabul.

Situation

1. A series of earthquakes, with the strongest one measuring 6.0 on the Richter Scale, hit Afghanistan in the evening of 25 March and early morning 26 March 2002. The epicenter of the earthquake was in Nahrin district, Baghlan province. According to initial reports, the town of Nahrin has been seriously affected with almost 90% of the town destroyed. The office of the French NGO ACTED in Nahrin was among the buildings that collapsed as a result of the earthquakes. According to the estimates of the Afghanistan Interim Authority (AIA), the number of dead is approximately 1,800 with 1,200 bodies counted so far, nearly 4,000 people were injured, approximately 1,500 homes were destroyed and 20,000 people were left without shelter.

International and National Response

2. An assessment team comprising ISAF, UNOCHA, WHO and DFID flew from Kabul to the disaster scene in a helicopter provided by ISAF. The team is expected back at 08.00 p.m. (local time). Upon return of the assessment team, another emergency meeting will be convened in Kabul, which will be attended by the Chairman of the AIA, Mr. Karzai.

3. In Nahrin, a coordination center comprising four key partners (Ministry of Reconstruction, UNOCHA, ACTED and ISAF) will be established in conjunction with the local authorities. DFID has offered its support in terms of practicalities and the actual physical set up of the center.

4. The AIA has also dispatched an assessment team which is currently on its way to the affected area. An assessment team comprising UNOCHA, IOM, UNHCR, ICRC, ACTED and MSF was also dispatched to the area from Mazar-i-Sharif, and is expected to reach the disaster site later today.

5. A meeting was convened in Kabul earlier today at the UN Coordinator's Office to assess the situation and compile an inventory of available supplies. UN agencies, ACTED, Halo Trust, ICRC and IOM attended the meeting.

6. OCHA-Geneva has made preparatory arrangements to deploy an UNDAC team and its dispatch will be decided upon later today, when more information is expected, and after further discussions with colleagues in Kabul.

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

8. This situation report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.
A map showing the sites of the two earthquakes can be found on the Website of the Afghanistan Information Management Service (AIMS) at http://www.hic.org.pk.

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 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 53
(N.Y.) Ms. Phyllis Lee direct,Tel. +1-212-963 48 32