OCHA Situation Report No. 8 Sichuan Province, China– Earthquake 23 May 2008
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NATIONS UNIES UNITED NATIONS BUREAU DE LA OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION COORDINATION DES AFFAIRES HUMANITAIRES OCHA OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS OCHA Situation Report No. 8 Sichuan Province, China– Earthquake 23 May 2008 NOTE: This report is based on information received from the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator, the media as well as other partners. Key Summary x More than 3.3 million tents are urgently needed and have been requested by the Government of China to the international community. x Tent Requirements/Sizes: 30 sq. m (6x5 m), 16 m sq.m (4x4m) or 15 sq.m (5x3m) (footnote: it is not necessary that the tents be winterized.) x 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 Wenchuan County, Aba Prefecture some 92km northwest of Chengdu City, the capital of Sichuan Province. The earthquake took place at 14.48 Beijing-time and tremors were felt as far as Wuhan, Shanghai and Beijing. 2. According to official statistics, the confirmed number of dead is 55,740 people. An additional 292,481 people were injured; 24,960 missing; and an estimated 11.37 million displaced quake survivors were relocated. According to the Ministry of Health, 73,939 injured have been admitted to hospitals; while 3,451 injured people died in the hospitals. 38,683 people have been treated and discharged; 28,377 people are still being treated. Environmental Situation 3. In addition to the reported leakage of hazardous chemical substances from infrastructure damaged by the earthquake, concerns are raised by experts regarding increasing volumes of garbage, sewage, medical waste and other forms of pollution that could pose risks. 4. According to the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the local environmental authorities urgently need assistance in particular,r portable environment monitoring and detecting equipments; garbage treatment facilities (incineration facilities with daily disposal capacity for 1 ton garbage); and sewage treatment facilities (with disposal capacity for 180 tons sewage per day), in order to be able to address these threats. 5. According to Chinese media reports, the majority of the lakes and damaged dams in Sichuan are currently safe, but potential threats including floods are posed by the heavy rains and aftershocks. Several expert teams have been sent to Sichuan Province to ensure the safety of the dams, earthquake- caused lakes, and hydroelectric stations. 6. According to information provided by the Information Office of State Council of China on 21 May, a total of 34 lakes caused by the earthquake have been found to pose a high risk of overflowing. 1 National media reported that the largest among these lakes is situated in Tangjiashan (Beichuan County) with 100 million cubic meters of water storage which poses threats to Jiangyou, Mianyang, Santan, and Shehong counties/cities and the whole Fu River basin. Measures for alleviating the threats are being taken, including a request for around 30,000 people in Jiangyou and Mingyang to relocate to safe areas by 24 May. Needs 7. The Government of China mobilized a large-scale rescue effort composed of the army, police, paramilitary forces, rescue and medical teams. Military rescuers reached 1,044 of the worst-hit villages under 134 townships in southwestern Sichuan Province. A total of 403,340 tents, 2.3 million quilts, and 3.05 million articles of clothing have been allocated to the affected areas, as well as 384,000 tons of wheat and rice. 8. The Government of China is accepting international medical teams and is requesting supplies and medical equipment from the international community (please refer to OCHA Situation Report #6 for a detailed list). All medicines, medical equipment and disinfection products, procured either in China or abroad, should be officially registered in China or other countries; detailed information on registration and accreditation requirements will be provided by the Disaster Relief Headquarters of the People’s Government of Sichuan Province. 9. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health priorities are the following: 1) treating the injured; 2) communicable disease surveillance and control; ensuring safe water and food supply; 3) immediate and long-term mental health and psychosocial support; 4) reconstruction of the health care system in the affected areas. National Response 10. The Ministry of Health deployed medical teams from 26 provinces in the affected areas, including 58,663 medical health workers and 7,638 health workers mobilized by the MoH. National sanitary and anti-epidemic workers are focusing on disease control and prevention activities in 12 severely affected areas. As of 21 May, the MoH sent out 65 tons of disinfectants; 44,400 pairs of acid- proof gloves; 50,000 disposable protective suits; 6,000 sprayers; and 100,000 facemasks to the affected area. TB experts, mental health and psychosocial support personnel have also been deployed. 11. The Chinese Red Cross has been designated by the Government to coordinate external health teams in Sichuan while it continues to provide emergency medical services on-site. More than 35,000 local Red Cross staff and volunteers have been working with rescue and medical teams to distribute tents, food, water, clothes, and medicine. Two psychosocial support teams have been sent to the area to assist the affected people with emotional distress. 12. According to Chinese media reports, Premier Wen Jiabao announced on 21 May that the Government of China will allocate 70 billion yuan (approximately US$ 10.14 billion) for 2008 as a reconstruction fund for the earthquake-affected areas; this reconstruction fund is expected to cover a two-year period. 13. A National Committee of Experts for the Wenchuan Earthquake was established on 21 May. Under the leadership of the State Council Rescue and Relief Headquarters, this committee is requested to provide scientific-based support to the earthquake affected areas, with focus on disaster assessment and scientific studies for reconstruction. The Committee consists of 30 experts from the Chinese Earthquake Administration, the Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Land and Resources, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Chinese Meteorological Administration. International Response 2 14. A total of 34 MSF team members are in the affected region and have been carrying out assessments, providing surgical and basic medical care, as well as mental health service, and donating tents and medicines to the relief effort. A convoy of ten trucks carring 2,050 large family tents arrived in Deyang and being directed to Mianzhu and other affected-areas in close collaboration with the Chinese Red Cross. MSF has donated 3,800 family tents, including transportation to the relief effort. 15. The EC Delegation in Beijing presented offers of assistance made to China through the EU- MIC (Monitoring and Information Centre for Civil Protection). Austria, Italy, Malta and Sweden offered tents, blankets, emergency health kits, tarpaulins, jerry cans, stoves, and sleeping mats. Additional offers of tents have been received from Belgium, Germany, Italy, Slovak Republic, and the Czech Republic. The MIC team in Chengdu will continue facilitating delivery of EU assistance. 16. According to OCHA’s Financial Tracking System (FTS), a total of US $166 million in funding (contributions and commitments) have been made, in addition to US $13 million in pledges from more than 20 donors. Most of these commitments and pledges are cash or in-kind contributions. 17. For UN response, please refer to OCHA Situation Report #7 of 22 May 2008. Coordination 18. Contact information for the delivery of disaster assistance in China: Mr. Jianjun RAN or Mr. Xingcai ZHANG Civil Affairs Department of the People’s Government of Sichuan Province, China Mobile: (+86) 159 0288 8401, 135 4127 9877 Fax: (+86) 28 85205881 Mr. Chengyuan WU Disaster Relief Material Department Disaster Relief Headquarters of the People’s Government of Sichuan Province, China Tel:(+86) 28 86139526, or 28 19. UN support to the Government is coordinated by the UN Resident Coordinator and assisted by UN partners and the UN Disaster Management Team. OCHA’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) in Bangkok is liaising closely with the UNDMT and the China Earthquake Administration. Contacts Mr. Khalid Malik, UN Resident Coordinator Email: [email protected] ,Tel:+86-10-85-320-700, Fax: +86-10-85-320-900 Ms. Yin Yin Nwe, UNICEF Representative and Chair, UNDMT-China E-mail: [email protected] , Tel: +86-10-65-323-131, Mobile: +86-13-801-009-447 Mr. Terje Skavdal, Head of OCHA Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) E-mail: [email protected], Tel: + 66 2288 2425, Mobile: +66 81 916 1276 Mr. Rajan Gengaje, Regional Disaster Response Advisor, OCHA ROAP E-mail: [email protected], Tel: + 66 2288 2572, Mobile: +66 81 916 1271 This Situation Report, together with further information on ongoing emergencies, is also available on ReliefWeb http://www.reliefweb.int 3 The latest Situation Report Map is also available on ReliefWeb: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullMaps_Sa.nsf/luFullMap/D22DE9BA93650506C125744F0033752 C/$File/rw_EQ_chn080520.pdf?OpenElement 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 E-mail: [email protected] (Geneva) Mr.