ReliefWeb

UNDRO 88/1694

INDIA - EARTHQUAKE
UNDRO INFORMATION REPORT NO. 1
22 AUGUST 1988

1. STRONG EARTHQUAKE MEASURING 6.7 ON RICHTER SCALE STRUCK INDIA'S BIHAR STATE AND EASTERN NEPAL, AT 4.39 AM (INDIAN STANDARD TIME) ON 21 AUGUST 1988 (CORRESPONDING TO 23.09 HRS GMT, 20 AUGUST 1988). EPICENTRE WAS LOCATED 80 KMS NORTH OF DHARBHANGA, BIHAR STATE, ON INDO-NEPAL BORDER. THE QUAKE AND AFTERSHOCKS WERE ALSO FELT IN NORTH EASTERN INDIAN STATES OF UTTAR PRADESH, MADHYA PRADESH AND WEST BENGAL AS WELL AS SIKKIM AND BANGLADESH. IT WAS THE STRONGEST QUAKE IN THE SUB-HIMALAYAN TERRAIN ON THE INDO-NEPAL BORDER SINCE THE ONE OF 1934.

2. THE QUAKE FLATTENED HOUSES (AT LEAST 50,000 BUILDINGS DAMAGED OR DESTROYED IN BIHAR STATE), BREACHED FLOOD PROTECTION DYKES, TRIGGERED LANDSLIDES, CRACKED ROADS, COLLAPSED BRIDGES AND DISRUPTED WATER/POWER SUPPLIES, TELECOMMUNICATIONS AS WELL AS ROAD/RAIL TRANSPORTATION.

3. PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES INDICATE AT LEAST 25,000 FAMILIES HOMELESS. UNOFFICIAL REPORTS FROM PATNA, CAPITAL OF BIHAR, PLACE DEATH TOLL IN BIHAR STATE AT ABOUT 650. IN DHARBHANGA DISTRICT
ALONE OVER 200 DEATHS AND 10,000 INJURED REPORTED. NUMBERS OF DEAD AND SERIOUSLY INJURED RISING AS MORE BODIES RECOVERED FROM DEBRIS.

4. BIHAR CHIEF MINISTER TOURED QUAKE HIT DISTRICTS MORNING 21 AUGUST AND PRIME MINISTER GHANDI FLYING TO QUAKE AFFECTED AREAS MORNING OF 22 AUGUST. BOTH FEDERAL AND BIHAR STATE GOVERNMENTS HAVE LAUNCHED MAJOR RELIEF EFFORTS TO PROVIDE FOOD, SHELTER, MEDICINE AND OTHER RELIEF SUPPLIES. STATE GOVERNMENT HAS ANNOUNCED PAYMENT OF FIVE THOUSAND RUPEES TO FAMILIES OF THOSE KILLED.

5. THERE IS NO INDICATION AS YET WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT WILL REQUEST INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE.

ESSAAFI UNDRO GENEVA 28148 +

DPR 310 IND

UNDRO 88/1726

INDIA - EARTHQUAKE
UNDRO INFORMATION REPORT NO. 2
25 AUGUST 1988

SITUATION

1. FIRST UNOFFICIAL ESTIMATES OF CASUALTIES SUBSTANTIALLY REVISED DOWNWARDS. OFFICIAL FIGURE AS OF 23 AUGUST: 166 DEAD AND 1,209 INJURED. WORST AFFECTED AREAS: DHARBHANGA, MADHUBANI, SAHARSA, MUNGER, KHAGANA AND BIHAR SHARIE. NO CASUALTIES REPORTED FROM PATNA (CAPITAL OF BIHAR STATE) BUT A FEW BUILDINGS COLLAPSED INJURING RESIDENTS. BROKEN FLOOD PROTECTION DYKES CAUSED FLASH FLOODS IN SEVERAL VILLAGES. AS COMMUNICATION LINKS BROKEN, REPORTS ON DAMAGE STILL INCOMPLETE.

NATIONAL RESPONSE

2. ARMY AND AIRFORCE DEPLOYED TO UNDERTAKE RELIEF AND RESCUE OPERATIONS. INJURED FROM DISTANT AREAS BEING TRANSPORTED WITH HELP OF HELICOPTERS TO NEAREST HOSPITALS. TEN MEDICAL TEAMS OF INDIAN RED CROSS AT WORK IN MUNGER, DHARBHANGA AND MADHUBANI DISTRICTS. MEDICAL AND OTHER RELIEF PROVIDED BY RED CROSS PROVINCIAL BRANCH. NATIONAL RED CROSS DISPATCHED RICE, EDIBLE OIL, CLOTHING, TENTS, MEDICAMENTS AND MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.

3. AGRICULTURE MINISTRY, FOCAL POINT FOR PROVIDING RELIEF IN NATURAL DISASTERS, IS IN CLOSE TOUCH WITH BIHAR STATE GOVERNMENT AND OTHER GOI MINISTRIES (INCLUDING HOME, HEALTH, URBAN DEVELOPMENT, SURFACE TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS) FOR ORGANIZING RELIEF MEASURES. THE GOI HEALTH MINISTRY CO-ORDINATING DISPATCH OF HEALTH TEAMS TO AFFECTED AREAS. NATIONAL COMMITTEE ESTABLISHED UNDER GOI MINISTER FOR WOMEN AND CHILD WELFARE TO ENSURE ASSISTANCE TO WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN PARTICULAR.

4. AFTER VISIT TO AFFECTED AREA, THE PRIME MINISTER ANNOUNCED GRANT OF 3 MILLION RUPEES (US DLRS 214,200) FROM THE PRIME MINISTER'S RELIEF FUND TO SUPPLEMENT EFFORTS OF STATE GOVERNMENT. OUT OF THIS, RUPEES 10,000 (US DLRS 714) TO BE GIVEN TO DEPENDENTS OF EACH OF THE KILLED AND REMAINING AMOUNT TO GO TOWARDS RELIEF MEASURES IN CONSULTATION WITH STATE GOVERNMENT. FURTHER DONATIONS OFFERED FROM VARIOUS NATIONAL SOURCES (ALL INDIA CONGRESS COMMITTEE, BOMBAY PRADESH CONGRESS COMMITTEE, STATE GOVERNMENTS, POLITICAL PARTIES, INDUSTRIALISTS, FILM PERSONALITIES).

CONTRIBUTIONS

5. US GOVERNMENT MADE AVAILABLE US DLRS 25,000 EMERGENCY GRANT TO PRIME MINISTER'S NATIONAL RELIEF FUND. WCC MADE INITIAL CONTRIBUTION OF US DLRS 20,000. THEIR LOCAL PARTNER CASA (CHURCHES AUXILIRY FOR SOCIAL ACTION) DISTRIBUTING 4,000 RELIEF SETS IN DHARBHANGA AND MUNGER. LRCS GENEVA MOBILISING TENTS FROM REGIONAL WAREHOUSE IN SINGAPORE.

6. NO REQUEST FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE RECEIVED SO FAR.

ESSAAFI UNDRO GENEVA 28148 +

DPR 310 IND '88(1)

UNDRO 88/1781

INDIA - EARTHQUAKE
UNDRO INFORMATION REPORT NO. 3
3O AUGUST 1988

SITUATION

1. SEVERAL AFTERSHOCKS FELT IN BIHAR SINCE AUGUST 21 EARTHQUAKE WHICH DID NOT CAUSE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE OF INJURIES. CONFIRMED OFFICIAL DEATH TOLL ROSE TO MORE THAN 200 AS OF 24 AUGUST 1988. UNOFFICIAL SOURCES STILL PUT FIGURE CONSIDERABLY HIGHER. PRESS REPORTS SUGGEST THAT OVERALL DEATH AND INJURY TOLLS MAY BE LESS THAN ORIGINALLY ESTIMATED BECAUSE THE ABNORMALLY HIGH TEMPERATURES ON THE NIGHT OF 20 AUGUST HAD FORCED MANY PEOPLE IN BIHAR'S RURAL AREAS TO SLEEP OUTSIDE THEIR HOUSES.

2. NUMEROUS PEOPLE STILL BEING TREATED FOR INJURIES IN MAJOR HOSPITALS. CIVILIAN AND ARMY MEDICAL TEAMS SUPPLEMENTED BY RED CROSS TEAMS HELP TO PROVIDE SERVICES. VIGOROUS BLOOD DONATION CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED WITH ADEQUATE RESPONSE.

3. ON 23 AUGUST 1988, GOI AGRICULTURE MINISTER INFORMED PARLIAMENT THAT NO EARTHQUAKE DAMAGE TO NATIONAL HIGHWAYS, MAJOR IRRIGATION PROJECTS AND PUBLIC BUILDINGS REPORTED. A SPECIAL COMMITTEE UNDER AGRICULTURE MINISTRY - THE FOCAL POINT FOR RELIEF MANAGEMENT - CO-ORDINATES ACTION OF ALL CONCERNED MINISTRIES. BIHAR CABINET CREATED A FOUR MEMBER SUB-COMMITTEE TO MONITOR RELIEF AND REHABILITATION WORK IN EARTHQUAKE DEVASTATED
DISTRICTS. AID WILL BE CHANNELLED TO NEEDY DISTRICTS THROUGH DISTRICT MAGISTRATES WHO ARE PREPARING DETAILS OF SERIOUSLY INJURED PERSONS AND LISTS OF DAMAGED HOUSES AND OTHER PROPERTY. BIHAR STATE GOVERNMENT ENHANCED PAYMENT TO DEPENDENTS OF DECEASED PERSONS TO 15,000 RUPEES (APPROX. 1,070 US DLRS).

4. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT OUT OF A POPULATION OF 7.7 MILLION IN THE THREE DISTRICTS SEVERELY AFFECTED BY THE QUAKE, SOME 30,000 FAMILIES REQUIRE EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE THROUGH PROVISION OF RICE, CLOTHING, UTENSILS, BUILDING MATERIALS AND OTHER RELIEF GOODS AVAILABLE INCOUNTRY. INDIAN RED CROSS ESTABLISHING RELIEF ASSISTANCE PROGRAMME FOR 5,000 FAMILIES. LUTHERAN WORLD FEDERATION IMPLEMENTING RELIEF OPERATION THROUGH LOCAL AFFILIATED AGENCIES.

5. DUE TO MONSOON RAINS RIVERS IN NORTHERN BIHAR CONTINUE TO RISE. PARTS OF BIHAR STATE ALREADY FLOODED AND EXTENSION OF FLOODS TO EARTHQUAKE-AFFECTED AREAS INCREASINGLY LIKELY.

(++ - VALUE NOT REPORTED TO UNDRO)

DONORS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM UNDRO, PREFERABLY BY TELEX (28148 UNDR CH) OF THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS AND CORRESPONDING VALUES.

ESSAAFI UNDRO GENEVA 28148 +

DPR 310 IND '88 (1)