NATIONS UNIES UNITED NATIONS

BUREAU DE LA OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION COORDINATION DES AFFAIRES HUMANITAIRES OCHA OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS

OCHA Situation Report No. 6 Province, – Earthquake 20 May 2008

NOTE: This report is based on information received from the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator (UNRC) in China, UN partners, and the media.

Key Summary • Tents are urgently needed and have been requested as a high priority by the Government of China. More than 200,000 tents are needed. • Donors are encouraged to report their contributions, including in-kind contributions, to OCHA’s Financial Tracking System (FTS), http://ocha.unog.ch/fts2/.

Situation 1. On 12 May 2008 a major earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter Scale struck , Aba Prefecture some 92 km northwest of city, the capital of Sichuan Province. The earthquake took place at 14:48 time and affected 434 counties in 10 provinces and municipalities. The worst affected areas are central and northern Sichuan (Aba Prefecture); ; Deyang; ; Ya’an; Chengdu; Longnan (Gansu Province); Hanzhong and Baoji (Shaanxi Province).

2. According to official statistics, the confirmed number of dead is 40,075 people (a total of 39,577 people confirmed dead in Sichuan Province alone). An additional 247,645 people are injured and 32,361 people missing. The Government of China expects the death toll to surpass 50,000 and an estimated 5.7 million have been evacuated as of 16 May. An estimated 80 percent of the dead have been buried or cremated.

3. Around 159 aftershocks measuring above 4 on the Richter Scale have been detected according to the China Seismological Bureau. An estimated 5.36 million buildings have collapsed, and more than 21 million buildings are damaged in the earthquake-affected areas.

Needs 4. For the first time since 1998, the Government of China is actively welcoming assistance from the international community. During a press conference, Mr. Jian Li, the Vice Minister for Civil Affairs stated that tents are the highest priority need and has appealed for international assistance. Additionally, food, drinking water, and psychological assistance for earthquake victims and relatives were also reiterated by the State Council, according to Chinese media reports.

5. The Government of China has urgently requested the following medicines and medical equipment needed for relief efforts. However, all medicines, medical equipment, and disinfection products should have prior registration in China:

Epidemic Prevention Drinking Water Safety Food Safety - FENDONA (alpha- - Chlorine disinfection tablets - ATP fluorescence testing Cypermethrin) - Large drinking water instruments - Stratagem (Flocoumafen) treatment units - Rapid food safety testing 1 - Mobile sprayer - Folding drinking water instruments - Disposable protective containers - Rapid micro-organism clothing - Environment-friendly mobile testing instruments - Protective spectacles toilets - Thermograph for measuring - Protective facial mask - Residual chlorine detecting food surface/center - Acid-resistant gloves instruments temperature - Chemical-proof rubber shoes - Residual cholorine - Ultraviolet ray lumeter colorimetric boxes - Chlorine testing paper - Rapid water quality testing instruments

Protection Against Radiation Medical Items Appliances - X-ray and Y-ray survey - Medicines - ECG meter - Albumin - Operational kits - Surface contamination - Roxithromycin - Laryngoscope detector - Tetanus Immunoglobulin - Treatment table - Personal alarm dosimeter - Fentanyl - Portable operating table - Doxycycline - Stretcher and Ambulance - Electro Cardiograph - Gelfoam sponge - Neck collar - Fixing belt for shoulder, elbow, collarbone, forearm,rib - Thigh and tibiofibula support - Portable B-mode - Sterilizer - Orthopedic fixation screws - Anesthesia machine - Haemodialysis machine - Monitors - Bedside X-ray machine - Orthopedic internal/external fixation devices - INMARSAT telephone

National Response 6. The Government of China announced 19-21 May as national mourning days. National flags have been raised at half-mast. A three minute of silence took place at 14:28 pm (Beijing time).

7. Military rescuers reached 1,044 of the worst-hit villages under 134 townships in southwestern Sichuan Province according to Chinese media reports. A total of 278,462 tents; 783,984 quilts; 1.78 million clothes; and 218 million yuan worth of food and drinking water have been allocated to the affected areas by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

8. The Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Finance are planning to provide each homeless, earthquake victim with a daily subsidy (i.e. 10 yuan, 500g of food) for three months starting in late May, according to Chinese media reports. Orphans, widowed elders with no children, and the handicapped who have lost relatives will receive an additional monthly subsidy of 600 yuan for three months. A 5,000 yuan compensation fund for relatives of the earthquake victims is also to be established.

9. Domestic and international donations have reached around 14 billion yuan (around US $2 billion). The Central Government has allocated a total of US $167 million.

2 10. The Chinese Red Cross has 30 medical teams in the affected areas, including a small office in Mianyang. According to the IFRC, around 200,000 people in the affected areas of Chengdu and Mianyang have enough food and water stocks to last for 14 days, and will require further assistance.

11. The Government of China stated that informational updates would be released on a daily basis at 14:00 Beijing time on central media websites including http://www.xinhuanet.com/, http://www.gov.cn/, and http://www.jianzai.gov.cn/.

12. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has informed the Office of the UN Resident Coordinator that MOFA has been placed as focal point for all international organizations and the international community, including the UN. All international supply flights are requested to be directed to the Chengdu Suhangliu airport.

International Response 13. The United Nations Secretary-General announced a CERF grant with a window of US $7 million. OCHA’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) sent an advisor to support the UN Resident Coordinator and the UNDMT (United Nations Disaster Management Team) in preparation of the CERF grant. Emergency response projects under the CERF grant have been developed in line with life-saving criteria and relief items needed as provided to the UN agencies by the Chinese Ministries of Commerce and Health. Most of the UN agencies will be working with partner Ministries for the delivery of assistance through the CERF grant.

14. A briefing meeting for in-country international partners was chaired by the UN Resident Coordinator and co-chaired by the UNDMT chair on 20 May with the participation of country representatives (Netherlands, Switzerland, Finland, Norway, United Kingdom, Canada, Pakistan, Germany, Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Japan, Australia) as well as representatives from GTZ, Italian Cooperation, EC, ICRC, IFRC, UNDP, WFP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, UNEP, and ILO. The UN RC will be meeting with the Deputy Foreign Minister on 21 May to discuss the coordination of relief efforts and continued exchange of information.

15. UNEP is in close communication with relevant Ministries regarding nuclear, chemical and water safety related risks, including monitoring Government reports. Through the UN Resident Coordinator, it has offered assessment support through the UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit.

16. UNESCO has approved US $50,000 emergency contribution for relief efforts which will be routed through the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO.

17. WFP has distributed US $100,000 worth of noodles, which will feed 118,000 people for 7 days. IOM has provided US $50,000 to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and is working with UNDP for the procurement and delivery of tents. UNDP will be supplying tents, quilts, clothing and emergency lights through the Ministry of Commerce.

18. UNICEF is procuring tents, student and teacher kits, and blankets, and has received a request for health supplies. UNFPA has also received a request for health supplies and is looking into local procurement of reproductive health kits.

19. The IFRC has issued an emergency appeal for the earthquake, seeking CHF 20,076,412 (US $19,304,242) in cash from the International Federations’ Disaster Relief Emergency Fund to support the Red Cross Society of China in assisting 100,000 people affected by the earthquake for 12 months. As of 20 May, it has received US $27 million in pledges. More than 6,000 tents from Pakistan and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia sources will be mobilized to China.

20. According to OCHA’s Financial Tracking System (FTS), a total of US $22.2 million in funding (contributions and commitments) have been made, in addition to US $76.8 million in pledges from 3 more than 20 donors. Please refer to http://ocha.unog.ch/fts2/pageloader.aspx?page=emerg- emergencyDetails&emergID=15550 for more information.

21. Rescue teams from Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russia, and Singapore, as well as Hong Kong and Taiwan, arrived in the earthquake-affected areas assisting in urban search and rescue (USAR), logistics, and health efforts. OCHA, in cooperation with the Governments of Ireland and Norway, is organizing a relief flight from OCHA stocks in the UNHRD (United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot) in Brindisi, Italy consisting of 30 tons of tents, blankets and stretchers for a total value of approx. US$ 307,000. In order to facilitate the delivery of assistance, the European Commission Monitoring and Information Centre Coordination Team, installed in Chengdu, will receive this shipment and hand it over to official relief authorities for distribution to the affected population.

Coordination 22. The National Disaster Reduction Centre of China in the Department of Disaster & Social Relief, Ministry of Civil Affairs, handles national disaster response coordination. Nine Working Groups have been established under the leadership of the State Council Earthquake Rescue and Relief Headquarters for rescue and relief efforts. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) is the focal point for international organizations and the UN.

23. UN support to the Government is coordinated by the UN Resident Coordinator (UNRC) and assisted by UN partners and the UN Disaster Management Team (UNDMT). The OCHA Regional Office in Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) in Bangkok is liaising closely with both the UNDMT and the China Earthquake Administration.

Contacts Ms. Yin Yin Nwe, UNICEF Representative and Chair, UNDMT-China E-mail: [email protected] , Tel: +86-10-65-323-131, Mobile: +86-13-801-009-447

Mr. Terje Skavdal, Head of OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) E-mail: [email protected], Tel: + 66 2288 2425, Mobile: +66 81 916 1276

Mr. Rajan Gengaje, Regional Disaster Response Advisor, OCHA ROAP E-mail: [email protected], Tel: + 66 2288 2572, Mobile: +66 81 916 1271

This Situation Report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on Relief Web http://www.reliefweb.int

A Situation Map of the earthquake is also available on ReliefWeb http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/RWB.NSF/db900SID/JOPA-7ERMJZ?OpenDocument

Telephone: +41-22-917 12 34 Fax: +41-22-917 00 23 In case of emergency only: Tel. +41-22-917 20 10

Desk Officers: (New York) Ms. Agnes Asekenye-Oonyu, Chief, Asia and the Pacific Section Tel: +1 212 963 1773 Mobile: +1 917 476 6164 E-mail: [email protected]

Ms. Ah-Young Kim Desk Officer, Asia and the Pacific Section Tel: +1 212 963 5131 Mobile: +1 917 349 5109 4 E-mail: [email protected]

(Geneva) Mr. Alfred Nabeta Humanitarian Affairs Officer, Geographical Coordination and Monitoring Section Tel: +41 22 917 2732 Mobile: +79 445 3382 E-mail: [email protected]

Press contact: (Geneva) Ms. Elizabeth Byrs Tel. +41 22 917 2653 E-mail: [email protected] (New York) Ms. Stephanie Bunker Tel. +1 917 367 5126 E-mail: [email protected]

5