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Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan Earthquake OCHA Situation Report No. 1

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2006/0262

OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Kyrgyzstan Earthquake

Situation

1. At 2 a.m. local time on 26 December 2006, an earthquake struck Kochkor area, Naryn region, some 140 km south-east of the capital Bishkek. Local reports indicated a magnitude of 5.5 in the Richter scale. The earthquake was also felt in neighboring Kazakhstan.

2. The UN Resident Coordinator in Bishkek immediately established contact with the Ministry of Emergency Situations. Preliminary information received by the Government indicate mainly damage to housing, electric lines and communications and the need to provide heating for both the homeless and local medical aid centres. According to data provided so far, 2400 houses, two medical and obstetric centres, five administrative buildings, 9 schools, 1 kindergarten and one library have been damaged. Ten houses have been totally destroyed. There is no power supply or phone communication with the affected area.

3. The Ministry of Emergency Situations has mobilized its resources, and, in a letter to the UN Resident Coordinator, has appealed for international assistance in order to provide food, heating equipment, clothing, medicaments and construction materials.

4. OCHA has allocated a cash grant of USdlrs 10,000 to cover immediate needs.

5. This situation report is also available on the OCHA Internet Website at http://www.reliefweb.int.

Map: Kyrgyzstan: Earthquake - Location map

Tel: +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. Fabrizio Gentiloni Tel. +41-22-917 3512
Mr. Thierry Delbreuve Tel. +41-22-917 1638
Mr. Carlos Monteiro-Pereira Tel. +1-212-963 4639

Press contact:
(GVA) Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, Direct Tel. +41-22-917 2653
(N.Y.) Ms. Stephanie Bunker, Direct Tel. + 1-917 367 5126

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