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Tajikistan

Tajikistan: Earthquake DREF No. MDRTJ001 Update No. 2


The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in 185 countries.

In Brief

Period covered by this update: 11 August to 6 October 2006.

History of this Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF)-funded operation:

- CHF 100,000 allocated from the Federations DREF on 4 August 2006 to respond to the needs of this operation, or to replenish disaster preparedness stocks distributed to the affected population.

- This operation is expected to be implemented over three months, and will be completed by 30 October 2006; a DREF Bulletin Final Report (narrative and financial) will be made available three months after the end of the operation (by 30 January 2007).

The International Federation undertakes activities that are aligned with its Global Agenda, which sets out four broad goals to meet the Federation's mission to "improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity".

Global Agenda Goals:

- Reduce the numbers of deaths, injuries and impact from disasters.

- Reduce the number of deaths, illnesses and impact from diseases and public health emergencies.

- Increase local community, civil society and Red Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of vulnerability.

- Reduce intolerance, discrimination and social exclusion and promote respect for diversity and human dignity.

Background and current situation

Several aftershocks, in addition to the quake in July 2006, stroke Qumsangir district of Kurgan-Tube region in Khatlon oblast during the period of two months (August-September). During the previous quake, seven villages were heavily affected: 15,095 people became victims, 865 houses were totally destroyed and 1,194 houses partially damaged. As a result of the aftershocks, the number of affected people increased to 21,057, the number of totally destroyed houses rose to 1,083 and the number of partly damaged houses reached 1,568.

In September 2006, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched an appeal for funds to cover unmet needs, which could lead to a humanitarian crisis at the onset of the winter season. This appeal calls for 500 winter tents, non-food items (mattresses, blankets, kerosene stoves and/or household items) for 500 of the most vulnerable families (approximately 2,500 persons) to complement their temporary resettlement in the provided tents, as well as the material support for the reconstruction of 200 houses. The total amount required is USD 1,000,000. The duration of implementation of these activities is planned for six months. The Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan (RCST) will provide logistics and distribution assistance in shelter and non-food items delivery to the beneficiaries.

Red Cross and Red Crescent action

Tajikistan Red Crescent and the Federation, through Rapid Emergency Assessment and Coordination Team (REACT), take part in coordination of earthquake response in Qumsangir district and continue to participate in the relevant coordination meetings throughout the recovery phase.

On 28 August 2006, some 114 tents (transported from GBAO Khorog disaster preparedness centre – from available RC DP stock) and 200 construction tool kits were delivered to Qumsangir district RCST DP centre. The procurement of construction tool kits took place locally and was arranged in accordance with the Federation procurement procedures by the Federation logistics department. The goods were transported by trucks from RCST Dushanbe and Khorog DP warehouses to Qumsangir district disaster response operational point. The transportation of goods from the operational point to distribution points was organized by Jamoats of the affected areas. The beneficiaries of the supplied goods were identified based on the results of assessments conducted by RCST Disaster Response Team (DRT) in collaboration with communities, local authorities, Ministry of Emergency Situations (MoES) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in the affected areas and agreed with Hukumat (district government); those were the most vulnerable families, whose houses were totally destroyed by the disaster and who lost their properties. The delivered goods were distributed by RCST DRT in Kurgan-Tube region during the period from 29 August to 2 September 2006. For distribution details please refer to the table below.

3,000 information materials on three topics (diarrhea, hygiene and sanitation) were reprinted and delivered to RCST Qumsangir branch office for further distribution. The distribution is planned for October 2006.

In mid-September 2006, the RCST received second-hand clothes from the Finnish Red Cross, which is being distributed at the moment by RCST Qumsangir branch volunteers and Kurgan-Tube region DRT members to the affected population. The distribution started on 25 September and is expected to be finalized in the beginning of October.

Until today, the National Society distributed the following non-food items to the victims of the disaster from the Red Crescent disaster preparedness stock:

- 200 tents

- 100 plastic sheeting

- 16,000 water purification tablets

- 200 construction tool kits

- 1,100 health promotion leaflets

- 107 hygiene kits

In addition to the above-mentioned items, the RCST DRT in Kurgan-Tube region distributed items provided by different international organizations: United Nations Children's Fund (14 tents), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (300 tents, 300 plastic sheeting, 300 jerry cans, 1000 quilts, 6,000 soaps and 300 kitchen sets – each consisting of a cooking pot, a cooking pan, a tea-pot, a scoop, a knife, 5 bowls and 5 spoons).

A total of 21,057 people from 10 villages of Qumsangir district were directly and/or indirectly supported through the RCST distributions. The table below gives a breakdown of goods distributed by and/or trough RCST by the end of September 2006:

Jamoat/
Village
No. of affected
people
Tents
Plastic sheeting
Soap
Blankets
Kitchen sets
Hygiene kits
Construction tool kits
Purification
tablets
No. of families
received s/h
clothes
Information
materials
1
Dusty
4,974
97
50
1,300
200
50
37
3,200
790
170
2
Village No 1
1,530
35
30
500
100
30
10
914
194
110
3
Village No 6
4,740
93
50
1,000
200
50
35
3,200
534
170
4
Village No 8
3,491
95
50
1,000
200
50
35
3,200
371
170
5
Zaminy Nav
1,143
108
50
400
100
30
107
25
914
125
110
6
Sholikoron
262
4
200
50
20
2
914
39
50
7
Kumsangir
1,251
25
20
400
50
25
22
914
145
110
8
Telman
3,041
52
50
1,000
100
30
30
915
387
110
9
Krupskaia
511
3
150
10
4
914
56
50
10
Village No 4
114
2
50
5
915
10
50
Total
21,057
514
300
6,000
1,000
300
107
200
16,000
2,651
1,100*

* The 2,000 information materials mentioned in DREF Update no.1 were released, but only 1,100 were distributed until now. The distribution is ongoing.

RCST DRT is continuing to implement the situation assessment on a weekly basis.

For further information specifically related to this operation please contact:

The Red Crescent Society of Tajikistan, email: rcstj01@mail.ru, phone number: 992372 24 03 74, fax number: 992372 24 53 78

Tajikistan Delegation, Elias Ghanem (Head of Delegation), email: elias.ghanem@ifrc.org, phone: + 992372 244296 or 245981, fax:+992372 248520

Geneva secretariat: regional officer Sylvie Chevalley, email: Sylvie.chevalley@ifrc.org, phone: 41 22 730 4276.

All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) in Disaster Relief and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (Sphere) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable.

For longer-term programmes in this or other countries or regions, please refer to the Federation's Annual Appeal. For support to or for further information concerning Federation programmes or operations in this or other countries, or for national society profiles, please also access the Federation's website at http://www.ifrc.org