TAJIK EARTHQUAKE IMPACT LESS SEVERE THAN REPORTED

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DUSHANBE 000004 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID PHUM CACS TI SUBJECT: TAJIK EARTHQUAKE IMPACT LESS SEVERE THAN REPORTED DUSHANBE 00000004 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. Summary: A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck eastern Tajikistan on the morning of January 2. Embassy contacts and others with direct knowledge of the area said a few hundred households have been affected by the earthquake, far short of the 20,000 figure widely reported in the international media. An American working for an NGO in the region said there have been no injuries or deaths. The government is not asking for assistance at this time. The earthquake was not widely reported in local media. Post will continue to provide information as warranted. End summary. ¶2. A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck eastern Tajikistan at 7:15am local time on Saturday, January 2. The epicenter was near the town of Vanj, in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO),80 km north of the regional capital Khorog and 235 km east of Dushanbe, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Reports of Damage Exaggerated ¶3. Many initial reports in the international media, including the Associated Press, cited estimates that 20,000 people were "affected" by the earthquake. Preliminary information from government and NGO sources indicates this figure is greatly exaggerated. While precise details are still lacking, due to the inaccessibility of the affected area (in part a normal winter phenomenon),initial reports put numbers of persons affected by the damage in the hundreds to low thousands. There are no reports of human casualties, although some media have reported several hundred livestock deaths. ¶4. The Tajik Committee for Emergency Situations has reported that 66 houses have been "partly affected," and 12 have been severely damaged. Affected residents have been moved to safe locations. In addition, a number of administrative buildings, including a hospital, music school, telecommunications office, tax office, bank, and court, among others, have been damaged. The Dushanbe-Khorog road has been blocked by landslides at two locations, both in Vanj District: at the 439th kilometer (at Tughak) and the 449th kilometer (at Khehak). Two kilometers of telephone lines are also down. The government is reportedly deploying an assessment team today consisting of specialists from the Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology and the Committee for Emergency Situations, along with a representative from UNDP. ¶5. Other reports put the damage slightly higher, but still far below international media reports. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) reports that 98 homes have been fully damaged, leaving 622 people without shelter. Of these, 583 have found temporary accommodation with relatives, friends, and neighbors, while the remaining 39 are currently sheltering in government buildings. An additional 921 homes, housing 6,215 people, have been partially damaged. The affected households are in the district center (Rokharv) and seven villages: Rog, Vskrog, Gushkhun, Panjshanbeobod, Bovud, Argabad, and Chikok. FOCUS Humanitarian Assistance echoed the government report of 66 affected households, distributed in five of the seven villages noted above. No Reported Injuries ¶6. No deaths or injuries have been reported from the earthquake. Glen Hofecker, an American working in Khorog for the NGO Global Partners, which has assisted victims of previous earthquakes in GBAO, said residents in Khorog felt the earthquake strongly, but there was no damage there. Hofecker, who is the spouse of one of the Embassy's wardens in GBAO, said to the best of his knowledge there were no Americans working in the region affected by the earthquake. He said reports that there were no injuries are credible. He was leaving for Vanj today for a two day damage inspection trip. Little work can be done now in winter, but Global Partners can help rebuild as necessary once the weather improves. Hofecker and Global Partners helped Vanj residents inspect their houses for damage as a result of an earthquake last spring. The Response ¶7. The Tajik Red Crescent Society has a stock of prepositioned non-food items in Vanj district capable of providing for 25 families. Supplemental items will be transported from Khorog and Dushanbe within the next few weeks. Government authorities and NGOs are conducting additional assessments. For the moment there is no request and no immediate need for USG assistance. We will continue to monitor the situation, reporting if circumstances change. Press Guidance DUSHANBE 00000004 002.2 OF 002 ¶8. Embassy has prepared the following press guidance pertaining to the earthquake: -- On Saturday, January 2 at 7:15 a.m. local time an earthquake of magnitude 5.3 struck Tajikistan near the town of Vanj in the Pamir mountains. -- According to the Tajik Government's Committee on Emergency Services (CoES),66 houses were damaged, 12 severely damaged. They are also reporting that several administrative buildings and the roads heading to Dushanbe and Khorog have been affected. -- The Tajik Government is mobilizing an assessment team consisting of specialists from the Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology, GlavGeology and CoES from Dushanbe. -- The government has not requested assistance. No fatalities or injuries have been reported. -- So far it is estimated that between 400 and 2300 people have been displaced but have been housed in alternate accommodations. GROSS