Aller au contenu principal

Iran: Saravan Earthquake - Information Bulletin n° 1

Pays
Iran
Sources
IFRC
Date de publication

The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 181 countries.
In Brief

This Information Bulletin (No.1/2005) is being issued to provide initial details of the earthquake in Saravan and is for information only. The Federation is not seeking funding or other assistance from donors for this operation at this time.

The Situation

A relatively strong earthquake measuring 5.9 on the Richter scale struck southeastern parts of Iran on 13 March 2005. According to the seismological base of Tehran University's Geophysics Institute, the tremor occurred at 07:01 am local time, with the epicenter being on the outskirts of Saravan. The Saravan region in Sistan-Baluchestan province, in the far southeast of the country, is close to the border with Pakistan, and has a population of around 240,000. Other neighbouring cities including Zahedan, Khoush, Iranshahr and Sarbaz were also shaken by the quake.

Initial findings indicate that 92 villages were shaken and 9 villages were partly damaged by the tremor. About 21,912 people were affected by the quake, but damages were insignificant. Some windows and doors were broken and no death or severe injuries have been reported. Some lightly wounded people are being treated in hospitals.

The local authorities immediately sent helicopters and relief teams to the quake-stricken areas in order to provide relief and assess the situation. In addition, the Zahedan University of Medical Sciences dispatched two medical teams to the affected areas to provide aid to the victims.

Governors of Saravan, Sarbaz and Iranshahr said that the tremor had left no casualties and only inflicted damages to residential units, some of which sustained cracks in walls and broken windows. In Iranshahr and Sarbaz, the quake caused panic among residents, who ran out to the streets with fear.

The rainfall in the past few days damaged sections of the roads in some regions, making it difficult to have access to affected areas and obtain necessary information in time.

Red Cross/Red Crescent Action

The Sistan-Baluchestan Provincial Branch of the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) immediately sent teams to affected areas to assess the situation and identify needs of affected people. In the Hidouj district in Saravan alone, 150 relief workers are working to assist the quake-stricken citizens.

Dozens of relief and rescue teams of the Provincial Branch are on standby to move into immediate action in case of need.

According to the Managing Director of the Provincial Branch, the situation is so far under control and no external support is required.

On 13 March, the Federation Delegation had a meeting with the International Affairs Department of the IRCS to jointly evaluate the situation.

For further information please contact:

Seyed Hadi Samaei, Director General of the International Affairs Department, Iranian Red Crescent Society, Tehran; email: intdep@rcs.ir; tel: 98.21.8662618, 8662619; fax: 98 .21.8662652

Mohammed Mukheir, Head of Delegation, Tehran; email: ifrcir05@ifrc.org ; mobile: 98 .912 314 4250; tel: 98.21.8890567/8911 271; fax: 98.21.889 5346

Evgeni Parfenov, Regional Desk Officer, Geneva; email: evgeni.parfenov@ifrc.org; phone: 41.22.730 4325; fax: 41.22.733 0395

All International Federation assistance seeks to adhere to the Code of Conduct and is committed to the Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response (SPHERE Project) in delivering assistance to the most vulnerable. For support to or for further information concerning Federation programmes or operations in this or other countries, and for a full description of the IRCS profile, please access the Federation website at http://www.ifrc.org