Mexico - Earthquake OCHA Situation Report No. 2

Ref: OCHA/GVA - 2003/0015
OCHA Situation Report No. 2
Mexico - Earthquake
23 January 2003

Situation

1. The United Nations Resident Coordinator's office in Mexico City informs that the powerful earthquake that shook western Mexico on 21 January (02:06 GMT 22 January) was felt in the states of Colima, Puebla, Tlaxcala and Jalisco. However, with the exception of Colima, no major damage has been reported to the Dirección General de Protección Civil.

2. In the state of Colima, 23 people were killed and more than 160 were injured. In Jalisco, 2 people were killed. Over 30 adobe houses, made of mud bricks, collapsed in the most affected city of Colima and in the municipality of Villa de Alvarez. Minor damages were reported at the two hospitals, (the Institute of Security and Social Services and the Mexican Institute for Social Security) but emergency services are operational.

3. A segment of the Guadalajara-Colima Highway was partially closed due to landslides.

National Response

4. The Government of Mexico declared a state of emergency in five municipalities in the state of Colima, (Villa de Alvarez, Coquimatlan, Armeria, Tecoman and Colima), enabling the authorities to immediately release resources from the Fund for Natural Disasters (FONDEN), in order to meet basic needs of the affected population.

5. Four temporary shelters have been set up by the Secretaria de la Defensa Nacional in La Yerbabuena. Three temporary shelters are run by the Colima State government: two in Zacoalpa and one in the city of Colima.

6. Two teams from the Dirección General de Protrección Civil and the Centro Nacional de Prevencion de Desastres (CENAPRED) are conducting damage assessment.

7. According to WHO/PAHO, the Ministry of Health sent two experts to the State of Colima, to provide support in the coordination of humanitarian assistance in the health sector. Five medical teams have been dispatched with medicines to provide health care in the areas affected by the earthquake.

8. OCHA is in close contact with the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator in Mexico.

9. The Government has not requested international assistance so far.

10. This Situation Report and further information on ongoing emergencies are also available on the OCHA website at http://www.reliefweb.int

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. Erik Haegglund, Ms. Masayo Kondo, Mr. Ricardo Mena,
Direct Tel. +41-22-917 73 299 / 71 997 / 71 455

Press contact:
(GVA) - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53
(N.Y.) - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. +1-212-963 11 43