Posted on 02/22/2005 7:29:17 AM PST by Knitting A Conundrum
OCHA Situation Report No. 1 Iran - Earthquake 22 February 2005
This report is based on information provided by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in Tehran and the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Tehran.
Situation
1. An earthquake with magnitude 6.4 on the Richter scale occurred on Tuesday 22 February in Zarand, Kerman Province (750KM south-east of Tehran) at 05:55 local time. Based on information received from the Kerman Natural Disaster Task Force, some 179 persons are confirmed dead, while 500 persons have been injured, of which 300 have been transferred by helicopters to hospitals in Kerman.
2. According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, the earthquake damaged a number of villages (Rooein Abad, Akbar, Asghar, Dehaafkan, Behabad, Sardkooyeh, Fathabad, Motaharabad, Eslam Abad, Arjomandieh and Baharestan). Weather conditions in the region are difficult as there is heavy snowfall, and may cause complications for access.
National Response
3. The Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran has not requested international assistance. National authorities are currently handling relief assistance and rescue operations.
4. Eight search and rescue teams have been dispatched to the affected area, as well as relief teams from IRCS centers in Kerman, Yazd, Baluchistan, Sistan and Hormozgan provinces. The IRCS has also provided 3 helicopters. National medical teams and ambulances have also been provided, as well as psychosocial support teams by the IRCS.
UN Country Team Response
5. The Office of the Resident Coordinator and OCHA are in direct contact with the Director General of the Natural Disaster Task Force within the Ministry of Interior, as well as the DG of Rescue Operations in the IRCS.
6. Agencies based in Bam are organizing assessment missions to the affected region, with UNICEF and WHO already mobilized.
7. An inter-agency meeting of the UN Disaster Management Team will be held this afternoon in Tehran (15.30 local time) to discuss further action by the UN Country Team, as more information from the assessment missions will be available.
8. OCHA is in close contact with the UNRC's office in Tehran. This situation report, together with further information on other ongoing emergencies is also available on the OCHA Internet 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. Jamie McGoldrick direct Tel. +41-22-917 17 12 Ms. Afia Ali Blasco direct Tel. +41-22-917 11 73
Press contact:
GVA - Ms. Elizabeth Byrs, direct Tel. +41-22-917 26 53 NYC - Ms. Stephanie Bunker, direct Tel. +1-917-892 16 79
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BBC report here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4286129.stm
In part, it says:
State-run television in Iran and the local governor's office in Kerman said more than 500 people died as a result of the earthquake, which lasted 11 seconds.
The authorities say they have now recovered 231 bodies.
Reports say 200 people were killed in one village.
About 1,000 people are said to have been injured, but casualty figures are still rising.
The head of Zarand hospital earlier said 5,000 people were injured, but Iran's interior ministry says that number includes people who received first aid for very minor injuries.
Allah willed it.
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