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FROM THE FIELD

70,000 in Uzbekistan to benefit from disaster risk reduction project
08 Mar 2008 23:42:48 GMT
 Source: World Vision Middle East/Eastern Europe office (MEERO)
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Community members and World Vision staff being trained on first aid
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Community members and World Vision staff being trained on first aid
World Vision MEERO, http://meero.worldvision.org

Background

•  Earthquakes

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An estimated 70,000 people in 11 mahallas (communities) in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, will be equipped to mitigate the effects of an earthquake as a result of World Vision's recent implementation of the Tashkent Disaster Risk Reduction Project. The project aims to reduce the impact of possible earthquakes in Tashkent, a highly seismic area with a population of more than 2.2 million people. Experts warn that a strong earthquake could have devastating consequences.

'I am very grateful that such a project has started because now we are able to help ourselves and others. Before, we didn't know how to prepare for an earthquake or how to behave if one happens,' says Ismoil Abdullayev, who lives in Guliston mahalla.

'After the training, I assessed my house and found the most dangerous places if an earthquake were to strike. I moved my son's bed away from a window and moved the wardrobe so that even if it falls the exit will not be closed,' said Farida Muhametova, from Bahor mahalla.


Since February, 28 people from the target mahallas have been trained on basic disaster awareness and first aid. With assistance from World Vision staff, those who were trained are now conducting instruction series in the mahallas to raise awareness, help families protect their homes from being damaged by earthquakes, and create voluntary rescue teams. In addition, mahalla heads and activists are forming Mahalla Emergency Committees to develop and implement Preparedness Plans.

'In order to reduce the impact of disasters we have to prepare the families that would be most affected. Also, neighbors and the community play a crucial role in helping people in emergency situations,' says Hannes Reuter, the project manager.

In 1996 experts predicted the impact of a magnitude 6 earthquake on the city's population, in the absence of mitigation efforts, could lead to 45,000 deaths and 180,000 serious injuries.

In 1966, a 5.3 earthquake struck Tashkent, leaving nearly 80,000 families (more than 300,000 people) without shelter. Nine people died. At that time the population of Tashkent was less than half the size it is today, and most houses were single storied, enabling an easy escape. Today Tashkent has one of the highest populations of cities in Central Asia, and many homes are multi-storied and supplied with natural gas and electricity, increasing the potential devastating consequences of an earthquake.

The Tashkent Disaster Risk Reduction Project is funded by World Vision Germany and the Humanitarian Aid department of the European Commission (ECHO).


[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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[ Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters. ]

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A scientist from the British Geological Survey holds a seismogram readout of Britain's strongest earthquake in twenty years against a map of the United Kingdom, in Edinburgh, Scotland February 27, 2008, ...


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