U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
BUREAU FOR DEMOCRACY, CONFLICT, AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE (DCHA)
OFFICE OF U.S. FOREIGN DISASTER ASSISTANCE (OFDA)
BACKGROUND
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, on December 26, 2003, at 05:27 local time, an earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale struck southeastern Iran's Kerman Province. The epicenter of the earthquake, with a depth of 10 km, was near the city of Bam, 180 km southeast of the provincial capital of Kerman and 975 km southeast of Tehran.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) reports that 115,000 people live in and around Bam, all of whom have been affected by the earthquake. According to UN OCHA, the Government of Iran (GOI) estimates the earthquake has resulted in the deaths of 30,000 people and injured 30,000 residents.
According to the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART), the GOI estimates that 85 percent of buildings have been destroyed in Bam and the surrounding area. UN OCHA reports that GOI estimates that 45,000 people are homeless, and this number is expected to rise to 75,000 upon the return of those currently staying with relatives or being hospitalized outside Bam. Many of the homeless are sleeping outdoors in sub-freezing temperatures.
The USAID/DART reports that 20 of the 70 villages surrounding Bam have been affected by the earthquake.
The USAID/DART reports that while few habitable structures remain in Bam, many residents are using sections of heavily damaged houses and buildings and putting themselves in danger due to aftershocks.
According to the USAID/DART, priority needs are water and sanitation, internally displaced persons, and shelter.
ESTIMATED NUMBERS AT A GLANCE |
SOURCE
| |
Total Population Killed |
30,000
|
UN OCHA / GOI
|
Total Population Injured |
30,000
|
UN OCHA / GOI
|
Total Homeless |
45,000 - 75,000
|
UN OCHA / GOI
|
Total USAID/DART Earthquake Assistance
to Iran: $2,975,075
Total USG Earthquake Assistance to Iran: $4,987,360
CURRENT SITUATION
Coordination
The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) continues to register the affected population in order to facilitate the distribution of humanitarian assistance. According to the U.N. World Health Organization (WHO), 49,363 individuals had been registered by health teams in Bam's 12 zones as of January 8.
Reconstruction
According to the USAID/DART, the GOI has requested that reconstruction not begin in Bam until the GOI Reconstruction Committee decides on a reconstruction plan for Bam. As a result, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are beginning reconstruction activities in the villages outside Bam by providing steel frames with roofs, and then residents provide the bricks. According to the USAID/DART, these constructions are designed to withstand a 7.0 earthquake. The USAID/DART reported that the Bureau for Alien and Foreign Immigrants Affairs (BAFIA), the GOI ministry responsible for coordination with NGOs and IOs, announced standards for temporary housing of 60 square meters per dwelling within Bam and 100 square meters per dwelling in villages outside Bam.
On January 8, at a U.N.-coordinated sectoral meeting, the USAID/DART discussed with international organizations (IOs) and NGOs the need for intermediate housing, due to the GOI regulations against beginning reconstruction before the development of reconstruction plans. The USAID/DART is examining the need for hot-weather tents.
Shelter
According to the USAID/DART, the Ministry of the Interior is planning to house internally displaced persons (IDPs) in five camps, two of which have already been built. BAFIA built one camp, and Swiss Relief built the other. The BAFIA camp has communal latrines, and water is trucked in.
As of January 9, the USAID/DART reported that families had filled more than 300 tents, holding five to ten people each, at the BAFIA camp. Mercy Corps, Peace Winds Japan, Global Partners, and Islamic Relief manage the camp. Mercy Corps has an additional 200 tents available but is waiting for the GOI to provide more land.
Health
The USAID/DART reports that the Ministry of Health (MOH) has requested that mobile field hospitals remain for a three month period until the health infrastructure can be rebuilt. According to UN OCHA, the MOH, and the IFRC agreed that the field hospitals will be combined with the IFRC field hospital, which serves as the central referral hospital for Bam. The MOH is conducting a mental health assessment, particularly focusing on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and drug addiction concerns.
According to the USAID/DART, the GOI estimates that 90 of the 250 health workers in Bam were killed in the earthquake.
Sanitation
According to the USAID/DART, 899 latrines had been set up in Bam by January 8, and 200 more are expected to be set up by January 9. According to a January 8 WHO report, only 10 showers have been set up, and many more are needed. The USAID/DART reports that many NGOs are focusing on sanitation.
Commerce
Following an assessment on January 9, the USAID/DART reported that it did not observe any commercial activities in Bam and that most of the commercial buildings had been destroyed.
Assessments
On January 9, the USAID/DART and Relief International visited the village of Posht-Rud, located 9 km northeast of Bam. The USAID/DART reported that two-thirds of Posht-Rud's children had been killed by the earthquake and that most houses were destroyed. However, one health house was not destroyed and could possibly be rehabilitated.
On January 9, the USAID/DART visited the citadel in Bam and reported that it is completely destroyed. The USAID/DART also visited the fire station in Bam, and reported that one fire truck remains and the Tehran fire department has sent staff to Bam because many of the city's firefighters died in the earthquake.
U.S. GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE
The 81-member USAID/DART team arrived in country on December 30 via two C-17s and a C-130. The USAID members include a Team Leader, Deputy Team Leader, Operations Coordinator, Planning Coordinator, Communications Officer, Information Officer, and Security Officer. Other components of the DART include the 11 member Fairfax County USAR Task Force (VA-TF1) and the 57 member International Medical/Surgical Response Team (IMSuRT) and 6 member Management Support Team (MST) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
From December 31 to Jan 5, the USAID/DART set up operations in Bam, conducted needs and structural assessments, and coordinated with the MOH, the U.N., and NGOs. From December 31 to January 4, the IMSuRT Field Hospital treated 727 patients, 30 percent of whom had earthquake-related injuries, including surgeries and post-trauma mental health cases. The IMSuRT field hospital closed on January 5, and new patients were referred to the IFRC field hospital.
On January 6, the USAID/DART donated medical equipment and supplies to the ICRC.
On January 6, the majority of the USAID/DART departed Bam. Four USAID representatives and four VA-TF1 members remain in Bam, and the OFDA Acting Director has joined them as the USAID/DART leader. The USAID/DART representatives are remaining in Bam to continue assessments, programming, and coordinating with the IFRC, U.N., and NGOs. The USAID/DART will provide oversight on the disposition of commodities and equipment, as well as provide emergency first responder training, in conjunction with the IFRC and the U.N.
On January 7, USAID/DART members repaired tents at an IRCS facility. The tents, some of which had been donated by the USAID/DART IMSuRT, were damaged in a sandstorm.
USAID/OFDA has sent four airlifts of relief commodities, consisting of 300 rolls of plastic sheeting, approximately 12,500 blankets, and 1,026 winterized tents at a total cost of $386,765.
USAID/OFDA has provided $600,000 to the IFRC in support of their Preliminary Appeal.
On January 9, in response to the U.N. Flash Appeal, USAID/OFDA provided $211,610 to UN OCHA for the coordination of humanitarian activities.
According to the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), seven C-130s have airlifted approximately 68 metric tons (MT) of medical supplies, 2,000 blankets, and a 10K forklift to assist in offloading relief commodities in Bam.
ESTIMATED USG EARTHQUAKE ASSISTANCE TO IRAN
Implementing Partner
|
Activity
|
Location
|
Amount
|
USAID/DART ASSISTANCE
| |||
USAID* | Logistics and commodities | Earthquake-affected regions |
$761,765
|
IFRC | Contribution to Preliminary Appeal for commodities | Earthquake-affected regions |
$600,000
|
UN OCHA | Coordination | Earthquake-affected regions |
$211,610
|
USAR* | Urban Search and Rescue Team Support | Earthquake-affected regions |
$645,700
|
FEMA* | Medical Assistance Team Support | Earthquake-affected regions |
$720,000
|
Administrative | Earthquake-affected regions |
$57,850
| |
Total USAID/DART EARTHQUAKE Assistance to Iran |
$2,975,075
| ||
DOD ASSISTANCE
| |||
DOD*
|
Commodities and air transportation
| Earthquake-affected regions |
$2,012,285
|
Total DOD EARTHQUAKE Assistance to Iran |
$2,012,285
| ||
Total USG EARTHQUAKE Assistance to Iran |
$4,987,360
|
* These figures represent estimated costs as of January 9, 2004.
OTHER DONOR AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION
ASSISTANCE
From January 3 to 5, a joint U.N. mission assessed the sectoral needs for the Flash Appeal. The team included the UNDP; the U.N. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA), the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF), the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Office of the U.N. Security Coordinator (UNSECOORD), WHO, and the World Food Program (WFP).
On January 8, at a donor conference in Bam, the IFRC and the U.N. launched joint appeals to address emergency needs. The IFRC appealed for $42 million, which includes the previous appeal of $12.3 million, to assist as many as 210,000 people for up to 8 months. The U.N. appealed for $31.3 million for relief and rehabilitation for the next 90 days. The ceremony was attended by 140 representatives from the U.N., foreign governments, IOs, NGOs, journalists, and the USAID/DART.
The IFRC Appeal includes $12.3 million for shelter, $3.3 million for clothing, $4.3 million for food and seeds, $5.1 million for water and sanitation, $5.2 million for health, $298,000 for teaching materials, $4.3 million for utensils and tools, and $16.1 million for equipment, program support, and administrative services.
The U.N. Flash Appeal includes $2.5 million for food and logistics, $5.7 million for water and sanitation, $6.3 million for health and nutrition, $3.7 million for the protection of children and women, $3.9 million for education, $200,000 for cultural heritage, $2.5 million for shelter, and $261,610 for coordination and security.
According to UN OCHA, more than 44 countries sent personnel to assist in rescue and relief operations. Prior to the January 8 appeal launch, more than 33 countries had pledged $57.7 million in assistance, including monetary and non-food items.
PUBLIC DONATION INFORMATION
The most effective way people can assist relief efforts is by making cash contributions to humanitarian organizations that are conducting relief operations. A list of humanitarian organizations that are accepting cash donations for their earthquake response efforts in Iran can be found in the "How Can I Help" section of www.usaid.gov/iran, or by calling (703) 276-1914. USAID encourages cash donations because they: allow aid professionals to procure the exact items needed (often in the affected region); reduce the burden on scarce resources (such as transportation routes, staff time, warehouse space, etc); can be transferred very quickly and without transportation costs; support the economy of the disaster-stricken region; ensure culturally, dietary, and environmentally appropriate assistance.
- More information on making donations and volunteering services can be found at:
- USAID: www.usaid.gov/iran
- The Center for International Disaster Information: www.cidi.org or (703) 276-1914
- InterAction: www.interaction.org --> "Guide to Appropriate Giving"
- Information on relief activities of the humanitarian community can be found at www.reliefweb.int.
USAID/OFDA bulletins appear on the USAID web site at http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/disaster_assistance/.