TAJIKISTAN: U.S. EMBASSY PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO EARTHQUAKE

UNCLAS DUSHANBE 001465 SIPDIS STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR/ACE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID TI SUBJECT: TAJIKISTAN: U.S. EMBASSY PROVIDES ASSISTANCE TO EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS ¶1. Two earthquakes, ranging from 5.0 to 6.0 on the Richter scale, struck southern Tajikistan's Qumsangir district July 29. The earthquakes affected over 1,600 households and nearly 9,000 people. Officially, three deaths were reported, all of them children. The media reported approximately 20 people injured and hundreds left homeless. The entire village of Zamini Nav comprised of 167 homes was completely destroyed. Up to 400 mud-brick homes in the region were leveled. In addition, power lines running through the region are also down and roads suffered heavy damage. ¶2. PolOff received a phone call from Counterpart Humanitarian Assistance Program (CHAP) July 30 informing of the disaster and the Ministry of Emergency Situations' requests for Embassy assistance. Post immediately agreed to distribute over $24,000 worth of relief items corresponding to CHAP's needs assessment. Relief items, including medical supplies, blankets, water jugs, clothing and other household items, were dispatched through CHAP to the region for distribution to those in need. Earlier this year, EUR/ACE provided Post with ten containers filled with medical equipment for disaster relief to be used for quick dispersal in such emergency situations. ¶3. Thus far, the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the U.S. Embassy are the only donors to provide equipment such as tents, bedding, medical supplies and thirty tons of food. The Tajik government sent in medical teams and 170 servicemen to assist with the relief effort. EmbOffs attended a donors meeting convened by Deputy Prime Minister Ghulomov July 31 to garner international humanitarian assistance. President Rahmonov asked the Deputy Prime Minister himself to a spearhead a commission of various Ministries to immediately assist the injured and homeless. Scorching weather, consistently above 40 degrees centigrade, lack of drinking water and power, and the high probability of diseases spreading are priority concerns. ¶4. COMMENT: Post will continue to cooperate with the government and other international organizations to provide assistance as needed. Post greatly thanks EUR/ACE for the foresight and supplies provisioned earlier this year. Without the Department's shipment of medical equipment, the Embassy would not have been able to act so quickly to help the Tajik people. END COMMENT. HOAGLAND